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Dark Star returns to Pittsburgh on November 12th to kick off our Fall Tour East 2015! Catch us steppin’ into the weekend in Buffalo, NY and Montclair, NJ, then follow us to Rutland, VT for more fun. Stops in Boston, Portland and Albany frame up mid-November, and Concord, Northampton and Jim Thorpe take us to giving Thanks. We’ll light up Times Square on Friday, November 27 and we’ll run to Huntington and Tarrytown before we head down to give Virginia some love. We’ll see you in Charlottesville on December 2 and Washington DC’s 9:30 Club on Dec 3 prior to wrapping it up in Norfolk. Shall we go, you and I while we can? We shall, and tickets are available here.

Dark Star Orchestra’s music is thundering like the summer skies and while they say there ain’t no point in looking behind us, Summer Tour’s been nothing short of All Good. Looking forward to more of the same when we head up to Vermont next weekend for the Second Annual Jeezum Crow Festival, where we’ll perform two nights of rare JGB sets before trucking on with our full cast, and tickets for most shows are here. But before you head out to join us, stop over at ShopDSO, where online-only deals await, and stock up on gear to see you through the season. Enjoy the long days and we’ll see you again soon!

Summer's in full-swing but sights are fixing on Dark Star Orchestra’s Fall Tour West. Launching September 24 in beautiful Eugene, OR, we'll make California wine country stops in Grass Valley and Sonoma, and visit giant trees in Arcata, Ashland and Redwood City before our annual jaunt into the Bay. SoCal and desert delights in San Diego, LA, Las Vegas and Tempe will follow a big San Francisco weekend, and it wouldn't be fall without lighting up Colorado. We'll make the most of the mountain autumn with a trip to Aspen before the front-range home stretch, October 15-17 in Boulder, Denver, and Ft. Collins. Tickets for most shows are here.

Madison, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Dark Star Orchestra is coming your way with the first notes of Summer Tour 2015. Strut your stuff under the moonlight as all three nights are outdoors in festive settings. Madison’s Majestic Theater Live on King Street series is hosting us as a free show, we’re ready to put the rock in Camp Maiden Rock West in Morristown, MN headlining the Built to Last Festival, and we’re thrilled to be a part of the world’s largest music festival, Milwaukee’s Summerfest, Sunday night in their BMO Harris Pavilion. After those, Tuesday’ll take us back to Kansas City and while they may seem like warm-ups for Chicago, they’re gonna be hot! Tickets for most shows are here.

Join Dark Star Orchestra at Jam In The Sand IV, now at the top-rated, all-inclusive Jewel Paradise Cove Resort in Runaway Bay, Jamaica, January 19-23 complete with 3 full 2-set DSO shows and 1 acoustic set, Steve Kimock’s Tribute to Jerry Garcia featuring Jeff Chimenti, Jay Lane, Reed Mathis and Dan Lebowitz, and the Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band! Your stay includes all meals and beverages, tons of water sports, greens fees, movies and more. As always, transportation to and from Montego Bay Sangster International Airport is included, and if you joined us last year, be on the lookout for your special email from Island Gigs with your pre-order code good throughout this June 21. General on Sale will begin Monday, June 22 at 10 a.m. EDT, but don’t wait, the first 75 rooms booked save $200 and those butler-serviced suites and ocean-views are going to disappear in a flash. See you on the Island!

While your Chicago plans are coming together, remember that Dark Star Orchestra is coming to town for the festivities, so design your time with us in mind! It’s part of Summer Tour 2015 and you can help us support The Rex Foundation, Thursday, July 2 at the Vic Theater and join us again at the Vic, Friday July 3, as we celebrate the life of Scott Larned on his birthday. Scott has been a part of every note we’ve played in the 10 years since he passed, and we hope you’ll come share these songs with us in his memory in the town that gave us our start. Tickets are moving so lock down your plans and travel safely!

Join Dark Star Orchestra as we use the Liberty Bell to ring in the New Year of 2016 at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia. The date is Thursday, December 31 and Fan Club Tickets are on sale now, with tickets available at all the usual outlets on Friday, June 5. DSO’s stop at the Electric Factory is always one of the most talked about shows of the year, so make your plans now to gather all your friends in the Cradle of Liberty to rock in 2016 with DSO!

With Dark Star Orchestra fresh off another explosive Jubilee and ready for more Spring Tour fun, we’ll welcome RatDog saxophonist Kenny Brooks to join us Saturday, May 30 at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester, NY. Be there as we recreate 3/29/90 from the Nassau Coliseum, a legendary show originally featuring Branford Marsalis and celebrate our weekend at the Cap before we head down to Brooklyn on June 2. Tickets are still available for both Friday and Saturday, but are going as fast as Spring Tour is flying by!

The Dark Star Jubilee is best weekend of the year to dance and shake your bones with DSO at Legend Valley and it’s finally here! We’ll play three full sets surrounded by friends Los Lobos, Railroad Earth, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Peter Rowan’s Twang an’ Groove, Steep Canyon Rangers, Melvin Seals & JGB and much, much more. Enjoy every set from your concert-field campsite, or retreat to family camping to rest and regroup. Good Lovin’ VIP festival passes that include a private entrance, hot showers and lounge access are still available but going fast! Pack up your friends and family, travel safely and we’ll see you soon!

Strangers Helping Strangers is a non-profit organization that operates throughout the country conducting food drives at concerts and music festivals. The donations are delivered to a local food bank near the point of collection. It's our way of giving back to the communities where these concerts and music festivals take place. Please bring a non-perishable food, toiletry, feminine or personal hygiene, or baby product donation to help those in need in these communities. For $5 or 5 donation, receive a poster!

Dark Star Orchestra is bringing the long party where they need it most, with Spring Tour East underway and rockin’. Hear what we’ve been up to as we move ever closer to the Jubilee with fresh shows added at Dark Star Orchestra On Demand within hours of final notes. Multi-night runs at Penn’s Peak and Higher Ground are ripe for the picking with this week’s jaunt up to Keene, NH and weekend duo at Westbury, NY on the horizon. Only a handful of dates stand between now and Memorial Day weekend meaning it’s your last chance to save on Dark Star Jubilee gate prices. Enjoy three nights of DSO and days packed with musical goodness from our friends Los Lobos, Railroad Earth, Robert Randolph and more. We can’t wait to meet you at the Jubilee!

Dark Star Orchestra’s Spring Tour East kicks off Thursday, May 7 in New Brunswick, NJ followed by a weekend pair at Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe, PA! Early next week we’ll settle in for two nights in Burlington, VT then roll up to Keene, NH, taking in all the springtime beauty the Green and White Mountains have to offer. Join us there as we officially begin warming up for the Dark Star Jubilee coming May 22-24 at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH. If you haven’t picked up tickets yet, there’s still time to save on the gate price! You know it’s going to get stranger, so let’s get on with the shows! Tickets for most shows are here.

We have designated our July 3 performance at The Vic Theatre in Chicago, IL as "The Scott Larned Birthday Bash". This evening's event is a tribute & celebration to DSO's co-founder Scott Larned. We will pay tribute to our co-founder, fellow musician, and friend by dedicating the July 3rd show at the Vic Theater in Chicago to his memory; The Scott Larned Birthday Bash.

Scott Larned had an idea: get together some of the best Grateful Dead-based musicians in the Chicago area and play the setlist from one of the Grateful Dead's historic shows. Over 17 years later, we've played over 2400 shows and at this show, we hope you will join us in paying our respects to the Orchestra's original conductor, Scott Larned.

Tickets for this July 3 event are available at: http://bit.ly/DSO-July3-Scott-Larned-Bday

Dark Star Orchestra’s Spring Tour East is imminent and it features a recreation of the legendary March 29,1990 Nassau Coliseum show where Branford Marsalis joined the Grateful Dead on stage for the very first time! Former RatDog saxophonist Kenny Brooks will be waiting to meet the DSO bus when it rolls into Port Chester, NY, for two shows on Friday and Saturday, May 29 and 30, where he will join the band for the Saturday show featuring that historic moment in GD history. Tickets are available here, so grab ‘em now and don’t miss this special night with DSO!

We are looking for an experienced Class A CDL driver to join us on the road. The position requires a sober and dedicated person with a team attitude and strong work ethic. We have our own wheels and can fill you in on the rest, serious inquiries only to tim@darkstarorchestra.net. Looking to start May 6th.

We are working the plans and setting the stage for what promises to be the best Jubilee to date. It’s you the fans that somehow find a way each year to better the experience with the mix of community family vibes and music that never stops. With no overlapping sets, you won’t miss a minute of the action featuring first timers Los Lobos, Railroad Earth, Peter Rowan’s Twang an’ Groove, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, and Steep Canyon Rangers, mixing it up with some of your favorite projects lead by your favorite musicians, Melvin Seals, Keller Williams and Jeff Austin. With our intimate, concert bowl camping, it’s a quick trip from your tent to the front rail to dance the nights away with three full DSO shows. Don’t wait to buy at the gate, buy now and save $35 on GA and $50 per person on VIP tickets. Register your Little Star Kids and save as well.

With Dark Star Orchestra’s jaunt out West wraps up this weekend with wine country stops in Paso Robles and Ojai, you can hear the first half of this all-too-brief tour now at Dark Star Orchestra On Demand. Add April Fool’s Seattle-style or our Beaver State sounds to your collection, and stay tuned for new shows added regularly. We love making these available to you so if we didn’t see you this time you can still share in the groove. Speaking of sharing, we can’t wait to spend time with you at the Dark Star Jubilee so grab those tickets while you still can and we’ll meet you there!

Dark Star Orchestra is thrilled to be landing in Chicago for this legendary weekend in Grateful Dead history. DSO will be giving back with a special performance benefitting the REX Foundation on Thursday, July 2nd at the Vic Theater. Dark Star will perform a second show at the Vic on the night of July 3rd, continuing the Grateful Dead experience like they always do. Tickets are on sale now through Fan Club Ticketing. The band goes on both nights at 8pm - see you then!

We are pleased to announce Dark Star Orchestra Summer Tour 2015 kicks off June 27 in the Land of 10,000 Lakes with a visit to Camp Maiden Rock West in Morristown, MN. We’ll hit Milwaukee Summerfest on June 28 and trip down to Kansas City on June 30. After that things will be All Good when we celebrate the festival’s return to West Virginia on July 11 before two nights in Jay, Vermont July 24-25. Stops in Utica and Rochester will proceed our annual Gathering of the Vibes set on July 30 followed by duos in Chesterfield, VA and Dewey Beach, DE. Summer will roll to a close at the Peach Festival in Scranton, PA on August 13 but not before a night in Hot’Lanta and two nights in Black Mountain, NC. Tickets for most shows are available here.

Spring is in the which means Dark Star Orchestra is headed out on Spring Tour West 2015! Kicking off with a monster three-night stand at the Boulder Theater March 26-28, we’ll stop in Salt Lake City on March 29 before cruising up the Pacific Northwest to begin April in Seattle! After a little time up there, the bus is headed down to the Bay Area for what is always an epic good time. Keep in touch here for tour updates, check out the ticketshere, and once we’re out, head over to Dark Star Orchestra On Demand to hear what we’re up to. Happy Spring!

Before the band hits the road to get Rocky Mountain High at the Boulder Theater March 26-28, pick up a Dark Star Orchestra 2015 Spring Tour West Tour T-shirt at ShopDSO. Our shirts are built for comfort and for looking sharp with tour art on the front and dates on the back. Spring has sprung early and pre-order is under way, order now and we’ll ship to you as soon as they arrive. While you’re poking around our on-line store, pick up a discounted tour shirt from tours past and help us clear the way for new merch coming soon! You can also check out tickets for the tour here.

The Dark Star Jubilee is coming up Memorial Day weekend, and you canbuy now and save $50 over the gate price on GA and $80 off VIP passes! But don’t wait because this special Early Bird price ends Monday, March 9 at 6 p.m. EDT. Los Lobos, Railroad Earth, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Peter Rowan, Keller Williams and much, much more are spread out over three days of fun at Legend Valley, May 22-25. The newly added Kyle Hollingsworth Band, Jahman Braman and The Drunken Hearts join the power-packed lineup capped off each night by full shows by DSO. With no overlapping sets, you’re sure to not miss a note, and we can’t wait to meet you at the Jubilee, May 22-25! Get your passes here.

Another tour in the books and Dark Star Orchestra is off to Jam in the Jamaican Sand, before coming back to mainland for Spring Tour West. Whether you’re on your way to join us in Negril or waiting to meet us as the Jubilee, you can sample awesome sounds of Winter Tour 2015 at Dark Star Orchestra On Demand. Many shows from the Chicago kick-off, down through sold-out Columbus and beyond are re-mastered and available now for download or on CD. Keep checking back because fresh shows may pop up any time, each one a different and perfect soundtrack for your day. And keep checkinghere for tickets to upcoming shows!

We can’t believe Dark Star Orchestra Winter Tour 2015 is almost over as we roll into Charlotte and Raleigh this weekend with Atlanta and Asheville in the rearview. Before we daydream in the Sunshine State Monday and Tuesday, we want to thank everybody who’s braved the cold so far to help us carry on and we hope to be seeing you soon in Jamaica. If not there, then we’ll see you at the Dark Star Jubilee, May 22-24 in Thornville, OH. Outdoor dancing in the homeland may seem far away but it’s never to early to book your adventure to Legend Valley. Early Bird prices are still in affect so get your best price now and we’ll meet you there!

We’re off and running on Dark Star Orchestra Winter Tour 2015, with every show available on Dark Star Orchestra On Demand. Did you miss the Live Webcast from St. Louis? Listen now! We are also ready to make our annual stop this Friday in Columbus, Ohio and hope you will bring your Valentine to Cincinnati on Saturday before we make our way south to Birmingham on 2/16. See you soon, Atlanta and Asheville and stay tuned online for the next batch of Live downloads at Dark Star Orchestra On Demand!

It’s time to hit the road with Dark Star Orchestra’s Winter Tour 2015 kicking off this weekend, Friday February 6 in the Windy City - our very own sweet home Chicago. This nearly sold-out show will be followed by Saturday night in Milwaukee and Sunday in St. Louis with Fan Club Tickets still available for both nights. Next week we’ll say “Hello, Cleveland!” on Tuesday, the 10th, then jump over to always rockin’ Indianapolis on Thursday, February 12. Stay tuned because once we’re rolling, Dark Star On Demand will have all new releases ready for near-instant download. Grab your dancing shoes, Midwest, because we’re comin’ for you!

Get geared up for Dark Star Orchestra Winter Tour with a hot-off-the-presses 2015 Tour T-Shirt delivered right to your door from ShopDSO.net. All sizes are available and will ship to you in most cases before the bus rolls into town. While you’re there, check out our selection of web-exclusive tie-dyes or pick up a tour tee you may have missed. Winter chill getting to you? Warm up with hoodies and hats then head over to Dark Star Orchestra On Demand for a variety of mastered dance groove sets. Available on CD or as audio downloads, they’ll get you ready to hit the road with us February 6th in Chicago. Get your tickets here and we’ll see you soon!

Launching at the State Theater in New Brunswick, NJ on May 7, Dark Star Orchestra will spend Spring Tour East thawing out and settling in with a multitude of multi-night runs. Opening weekend features two nights at Penn’s Peak with another pair in Burlington the following week. We’ll do double duty in Westbury, NY on May 15-16, camp out in Port Chester, May 29-30 and will close out with two in Hampton Beach, NH 6/5-6. In between we’ll light up Keene, York, Wilmington, Brooklyn, Boston and more as well as host a special acoustic night in Washington DC on 5/17. In the tradition of Spring Tour East, we’ll split in the middle to host our very own Dark Star Jubilee! Tickets for most shows are here.

The Dark Star Jubilee 2015 Lineup is here! We are thrilled to have Los Lobos, Railroad Earth, Robert Randolph & The Family Band, Peter Rowan, Keller & The Keels, Steep Canyon Rangers and much, much more in addition to Dark Star Orchestra performing all three nights! With the exception of DSO and a few other acts, most of the bands will be joining us for the first time. We look forward to continuing our Memorial Day Tradition with this fresh cast of great artists along with our loyal fans, friends and families. Tickets are currently available at the Early Bird pricing, so get your GA or VIP tickets now and save!

We’re home from an awesome Cosmic New Years run, and every celebratory note is available for download now at Dark Star Orchestra On Demand! Add the NYE run and our first ever “+2 bonus shows” to your collection and listen to them to keep warm while we look forward to Winter Tour 2015 kicking off next month in Chicago. Speaking of warm, remaining rooms for our all-inclusive Jam in the Sand voyage to Jamaica number - like the outside temperature – is in the single digits. Once you’ve set foot on the island, your ticket covers the rest of the fun, sun, sand and music. Who is going to get the last pass to join us at the light at the end of our blustery winter tunnel? Is it going to be you? Head over to dsojaminthesand.com for details and to book today!

DSO will celebrate 2015 all weekend long in our Nation’s Capitol with two sold out shows at DC’s 9:30 Club before resting up for Winter Tour 2015. Our annual trek across the snowy Midwest and sunny Florida ends at Jam in the Sand in beautiful Negril, Jamaica with three nights of DSO and sets by our friends the David Nelson Band, and a Grateful Grass collaboration with Keller Williams, Vince Herman, Reed Mathis and Allie Kral. If you haven’t booked your all-inclusive room at the Grand Lido Resort and Spa yet, you should do so, as only a handful remain! Time is also running out to purchase Dark Star Jubilee 2015 tickets at our Pre-Sale price, so get a jump on Spring and save! Thank you all for being a part of our 2014, we can’t wait to see what 2015 has in store for us! Happy New Year!

Wrap up your holiday shopping with DSO with the choice of all-inclusive trips to Dark Star’s Jamaican Jam In The Sand, a weekend at Legend Valley for the Dark Star Jubilee or tickets to celebrate the Cosmic New Year with DSO! Very few rooms remain at the Grand Lido Negril Resort and Spa for Jam in the Sand, and they are going fast. Treat you and yours by securing your Jubilee pre-sale tickets at the lowest common denominator. And coming up fast are shows December 28 in Richmond, VA, December 29 in Philly and the New Year’s shows in Huntington, New York on December 30 & 31, so don’t wait another minute to lock down your tickets! And don’t forget the two bonus nights, January 2 & 3 in the nation’s capitol at the 9:30 Club. Grab your tickets here and you’re are guaranteed to start 2015 right!

Each show from our Nov/Dec Fall East Tour is now available as a high-quality, mastered soundboard recording as MP3, FLAC or CD formats.
So visit the site now & take a look at our online home for official live recordings at Nugs.net for downloads of this recent tour!

Join Dark Star Orchestra as we celebrate passing into the new season with Spring Tour West, kicking off March 26 with an unprecedented trio of nights at the Boulder Theater. We’ll pass through Salt Lake City on March 29 on our way to celebrating April Fool’s Day in Seattle. A trio of shows in Oregon – two in Portland and one in Eugene – will follow before we dance three nights away in the Bay Area! The tour winds down in Paso Robles before wrapping up at the Libbey Bowl in beautiful Ojai. Tickets for most shows are here.

Rooms for Dark Star’s Jam in the Sand lIl are running out. Act now and treat yourself to an all-inclusive experience with Dark Star Orchestra at the Grand Lido Negril Resort and Spa, Feb. 27- March 3. Beach it up VIP-style with 3 full DSO sets plus one acoustic performance, two nights with the David Nelson Band, plus three sets by Keller Williams, including one with Grateful Grass featuring Vince Herman, Sam Grisman, and Allie Kral while the sand rubs your feet and sun warms your face. Lounge on this private stretch of Seven-Mile Beach and enjoy two pools, five jacuzzis, windsurfing, kayaking, snorkling and plenty of dry-land activities. Six on-site bars are ready to pour you bottomless drinks and your table awaits with just as many restaurants. Treat yourself to surf, sunsets and serious fun but book today before the rest is history.

Find something for everybody on your list this holiday season at ShopDSO. Hats and hoodies are welcome sights under the Christmas Tree or Festivus Pole and look great by the light of the Menorah. Our pins and coozies brighten up any stocking and there are plenty of handmade tie-dyed options to do the same for your body. Spend Black Friday in the comfort of your home jamming out to fresh sounds from Dark Star Orchestra On Demand and getting a jump on your holiday shopping at ShopDSO.

As 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the world’s introduction to the music of the Grateful Dead, Dark Star Orchestra announces today their fourth annual Dark Star Jubilee taking place this Spring. Held Memorial Day Weekend at Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio - the historic, sprawling venue where the Dead played six times. Dark Star Orchestra headlines each of Jubilee’s three nights, offering a full, two-set performance every time, with the remaining acts to be announced in the coming weeks. A limited quantity of ‘pre-lineup’ pre-sale tickets including GA entrance to the entire festival weekend, camping, parking, and over two dozen performances with no overlapping sets for $110. VIP pre-sale tickets are $220. Pre-sale tickets are available now at www.missiontix.com/darkstarjubilee. Information on the Dark Star Jubilee can be found at www.DarkStarJubilee.com and www.facebook.com/darkstarjubilee.

On a cold fall evening, November 11, 1997, the founding lineup for the Dark Star Orchestra began its first of four weekly performances run at Chicago’s Martyrs’. Fast forward to 2014 where today the band has performed 2379 shows in that time, eclipsing the number of shows the Grateful Dead performed over a 30 year arc.

With DSO’s Fall Tour beginning tomorrow in Buffalo, today the band announces a unique lineup swap for two performances on this tour. With the band’s bassist Skip Vangelas unable to perform with the group on November 21 (Lupo’s in Providence, RI) and November 22 (The Dome at Oakdale in Wallingford, CT), Dark Star Orchestra will once again welcome Dead family keyboardist Jeff Chimenti (Furthur, RatDog, The Dead) to the band’s stage for these two nights, while DSO’s Rob Barraco will hold down the bass role for these performances. Tickets to most of DSO's shows are available here.

DSO Fall Tour East gets underway on November 12 in Buffalo where the band will light up the night and help you forget about the chill in the air. The band can’t wait to return north of the border to Toronto on the 13th, then groove back to western New York to rock Jamestown on the 14th. Tickets for these and other shows are available here. As the band is busy truckin’ up and down the East Coast, we’re getting ready for the Holidays here at DSO Headquarters. We’ve got the elves at work on spreading some extra cheer with special ways to save at ShopDSO. Sign up for the newsletter here to receive exclusive inbox deals on Dark Star Swag, as well as Jam in the Sand updates and future tour announcements.

We’re still a couple weeks away from Dark Star Orchestra’s Fall Tour East, but now’s the time to get your hands on Tour Shirts fresh off the press! Our soft American-made T’s are on the way to headquarters so pre-order yours now at ShopDSO. While you’re there, be sure to check out our web-only specials and other goodies. Missing the music? Dark Star Orchestra On Demand will help you get your fix with CDs and downloads from past tours like the recently wrapped-up Fall Tour West. As always, it’s your resource for all things music so turn on and tune in! After you’re set with your tour shirt, you can pick up tickets for most shows here. Happy Halloween!

Darkness falls and seasons change making for an awesome excuse to hit the road with Dark Star Orchestra! Join us for Winter Tour 2015, kicking off from where it all began on Feb. 6th in Chicago. From there we’ll boogie up to Milwaukee, down to St. Louis then make our familiar trek across the Midwest and parts South. We’ll be ready to rock the House of Blues Cleveland, the Egyptian Room in Indianapolis and the Newport in Columbus before we turn on your lovelight on Valentine’s Day at the Madison Theater in Covington, KY. Birmingham, Atlanta, Asheville, Charlotte and Raleigh better be ready because we’ll be rolling through en route to a pair of shows February 23-24 at the Culture Room in Ft. Lauderdale. Warming up our bones in South Florida gets us ready to shake off winter in Jamaica. Tickets for most shows are here.

Feeling that autumn chill? Miss out on a tour shirt? Dark Star Orchestra has your remedies at ShopDSO. Hoodies and long-sleeve tees go well over our handmade tie-dyes and burnouts making for the perfect wardrobe for Fall Tour. Find web-exclusive items like ladies burnout tees and a variety of short and long-sleeve dyes at special prices including the famous Super Surprise Grab Bag: you pick the size, we pick the shirt. ShopDSO newsletter subscribers get first dibs on the upcoming tour shirt, find out what’s going to be new on the road, and receive special offers at holiday time, though we’re not quite ready to think about that just yet....

Dark Star Orchestra’s Fall Tour West began like a whirlwind and with three shows remaining, they’re gonna rock it out in the home of the Redwoods. The Fox Theater in the great trees’ namesake city, and Veterans Memorial Auditorium in gorgeous Grass Valley are lined up for Thursday and Friday, with the tour closer on the horizon in Napa. As a reminder, we’ve changed that venue to City Winery and we know Fall Tour West is going to end there on a high note. Tune into Dark Star Orchestra On Demand to keep up with what has been a tour for the books with “Vegas, Baby,” our Bay-Area nights and the Redwoods. Stay tuned for more news to come…

The Fall Tour nip in the air reminds us that it’s going to get cold and then colder which would be a bummer except it means we're getting closer to wrapping up the winter in Jamiacia! Dark Star Orchestra’s Jamaican Jam In The Sand IIIreturns to the all-inclusive Grand Lido Negril Resort & Spa, February 27-March 3, 2015 and promises to be our best one yet. Performances by David Nelson Band and the Grateful Grass collective featuring Keller Williams, Vince Hermann, Sam Grisman and Allie Krall among others accompany Dark Star Orchestra, the private beach, ocean, watersports and more. As always, you can extend the Jamaican holiday with early arrival and late checkout but rooms are going fast so make your plans and get your winter getaway locked down.

We can’t wait to get on the road again and the wait is over! We’re hoping you’re ready to celebrate Fall Tour with us as we kick off in Las Vegas before heading over to heat up Hollywood. Solana Beach better get ready because we’ll roll in full-swing before we head up to the Bay for what always feels a little like coming home. Don’t worry, there will be plenty of fun leftover for you East Coasters and you can always be in-the-know on-the-go with Dark Star Orchestra On Demand. In the meantime, pick up a hoodie at ShopDSO to be autumn-ready and battle the fall chill in style. See you soon!

Following their longest break of the year (5 weeks) Dark Star Orchestra is getting ready to hit the road again. They will kick off their Fall Tour 2014 at the recently opened, Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas - who would have thunk that Rock-n-Roll and Bowling would go together so well. Then it’s west to Hollywood, Solana Beach, San Fran and out to spend a couple of nights at Phil’s place, Terrapin Crossroads. Three more stops in Cali finishing up in Wine Country, where a few of our guys will be right at home.

As DSO gears up, you can do the same at ShopDSO.net where you can pick up the current tour shirt hot off the press along with some fall wears to take that chill out of the air. And if the fall wears are not enough to keep you warm, get dancin’ to your favorite show at Dark Star Orchestra on Demand, where the Music Never Stops.

In light of the recent Napa Valley earthquake, our October 11th show there has been moved to City Winery located at 1030 Main St. in Napa. Please note, ALL TICKETS PURCHASED THROUGH THE ORIGINAL VENUE OR TICKETMASTER MUST BE RETURNED TO THE POINT OF PURCHASE. Those who have purchased through DSO FAN CLUB TICKETS, please contact support@missiontix.com about exchanges or refunds. We wish everyone impacted by the Napa Valley earthquake our best and hope for a smooth rebuilding process for all of those affected.

For our fans a little further up North, we’ve added a show Sunday, October 5th in Ashland, Oregon at the Historic Ashland Armory. Just across the California border and through the Cascade-Siskiyou National Forest, we’ll be ready and we hope you will be too. For other information regarding this and the rest of our shows can be found on our website.

It would be easy to gripe about the season’s end if not for all the sure to be smokin’ Dark Star Orchestra Fall Tour shows to come. Las Vegas, Wine Country and general California Dreaming await on the other side of the Equinox. Leaves will change and air may cool but we won’t notice as we return to some of our favorite New England haunts to heat up the holidays. Our traditional post-Thanksgiving celebration at the Best Buy Theater in NYC comes to mind and before we know it we’ll be ringing in the Cosmic New Years with 2 nights at The Paramount in Huntington, NY, followed up by an unprecedented two nights at the 9:30 Club on January 2 and 3. Tickets for most shows are here. But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. While you’re waiting for the bus to get back on the road, you can always turn to and turn on Dark Star Orchestra On Demand.

Getting in early on the party of the year is the way to save - book your Jam In The Sand III package by September 12th to save $100 per room and receive a Mayfield Falls Excursion with members of DSO and supporting acts free! This all-inclusive Negril, Jamaica resort is the place to be for 4 DSO performances with the David Nelson Band and Keller Williams splitting the opening gigs. All meals, bottomless beverages, watersports and total beach fun await so gather up your DSO family and get a head start on beating those winter blues. Visit the official our Jammin’ Jamaican web home for more, the countdown is on!

Should old acquaintance be forgot and never brought to mind? No way! To create unforgettable memories, we’re pleased to announce DSO Cosmic New Years 2014-2015. The official New Year’s Run will kick off December 28 at The National in Richmond then up to the Electric Factory in Philadelphia December 29 followed by a duo of shows bringing in the New Year at The Paramount in Huntington, New York on December 30-31. In a twist to tradition, we’re adding pair of bonus shows January 2-3 at the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C. Tickets for all of these are here.

Say “Goodbye” to summer with Dark Star Orchestra this weekend as we wrap up Summer Tour 2014 with two nights at the Pisgah Brewing Company in Black Mountain, North Carolina. Just because we’re saying fare thee well to the season doesn’t mean there aren’t hot tapes to keep your nights warm in the weeks to come - download Summer Tour now at Dark Star Orchestra On Demand. Missed out on a Summer Tour shirt? ShopDSO is holding a special print-to-order session through August 23rd to accommodate your needs so stop in today!

Dark Star Orchestra’s Fall Tour East kicks off at Town Hall Buffalo on November 12, and we’ll be hitting many joints in and around Upstate New York including Syracuse, Albany and Ithaca before a double header at Higher Ground in Burlington, Vermont November 24 & 25. In a return of one of our favorite traditions, we’ll host our Thanksgiving pre-party at Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe, PA on November 26 and invite you all to burn off the turkey and fixin’s at Times Square’s Best Buy Theater on November 28 & 29. From there we’ll roll northward to beautiful Portland, Maine and wrap up with a Massachusetts duo of shows in Northampton and Lowell. Keep in touch at the all-new web home of Dark Star Orchestra for the complete information and Fan Club Tickets.

While we celebrate Jerry’s birthday every year, this time we have the fortune of extending the Summer Tour festivities for an entire weekend in beautiful Virginia. August 1st and 2nd we’ll be stationed at Heritage Amphitheater at Pocahontas State Park in Chesterfield and move over to Vienna to the Filene Center at Wolf Trap to wrap up the weekend on the 3rd. Tickets are available through DSO Fan Club Ticketing and as always, head over to Dark Star Orchestra On Demand to catch the sounds of summer within hours. Show up in style with a pre-ordered Summer Tour T-Shirt from ShopDSO or check out the sale section for web-exclusives.

Even though the days are longer, they always seem to pass more quickly in the summertime. That’s why we’re hoping you’ll join us in making the most of them when Dark Star Orchestra Summer Tour continues in the Northeast Kingdom, July 25-26 at the Jeezum Crow Festival at Jay, Vermont. There is plenty of festival activity ahead but also stops in between at the Saranac Brewery in Utica on July 27th, the Filene Center at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia on August 3rd, the newly-added Theater at Westbury show in Westbury, New York on August 5th and at Party in the Park in Rochester, New York August 7th. That’s not all so keep in touch here for information and ticketing, and don’t forget, downloads of each night happen almost immediately when available! See you on the road!

Hot enough? Get ready to chill out on Dark Star Orchestra’s Fall Tour West 2014. We’re pleased as usual to announce the first leg of Fall Tour is set to open 9/26 at the brand new Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas! From there we’ll make stops in Hollywood and San Francisco on our way to a pair of nights at Phil’s place, Terrapin Crossroads, on October 3-4. Circling around Northern California with a night in Napa, October 11th, we’ll be enjoying Redwoods to Wine Country and everything in between. Most tickets are available now through DSO Fan Club Ticketing and all venue box offices. Also be on the look out for the latest Tour Apparel available for pre-order only at ShopDSO!

The summer is near and the time is right to join DSO on their Summer Tour 2014 getting underway Thursday, June 26th in Minneapolis. Dark Star Orchestra will be treating the Midwest and Colorado with what are sure to be hot shows with tickets available here. You’ll also be able to download summer tour and catch up on tours past as Dark Star strives to release every show at Dark Star Orchestra On Demand. While you’re gearing-up to shake it down, pick up the latest Tour Shirt offered for pre-sale only at ShopDSO and be the first to see the latest in DSO wears. You’ll also find newly-added super kind deals and online exclusives, not available anywhere else, so get them while you still can because once they’re gone, nothing’s gonna bring them back!

We are excited and proud to officially announce the third annual Jam In The Sand to take place at the Grand Lido Negril Resort & Spa on Feb 27 - March 3, 2015. This has become our favorite event of the year where we get to hang out with our families and some of the most enthusiastic DSO fans. Jam in the Sand includes 4 nights at the all-inclusive Grand Lido Resort, watersports, 4 Nights of Dark Star and this year we will be joined by the David Nelson Band as well as Keller Williams wearing many hats: Grateful Grass, Keller Williams Solo and Keller and his Compadres. Be an Early Bird and book your room now and Save $100 per room plus, as an added nugget, join members of DSO for a Mayfield Waterfalls adventure.

Summer is here and the time is right for catching up on anything you might have missed on Spring Tour such as the DSO sets from the Dark Star Jubilee. Stop by and demand our recordings at Dark Star Orchestra On Demand! The nearly-live downloads trend will continue throughout Summer Tour including a newly added show August 5th at the Theater at Westbury. Be sure to check the schedule for updates and don’t forget, fresh goods are arriving at the ShopDSO home base all summer long so don’t hit the road without making sure you’re geared up and ready to go!

Riding high off a peak of family vibes from this year’s Dark Star Jubilee, we want to give a big “Thanks!” to everyone who came out and made the weekend the highlight of our year. We could not have asked for a better launch into the rest of Spring Tour East with stops at Brooklyn Bowl and Mountain Jam before a couple nights at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom before we wrap up. Hear everything from the tour up til now and future shows within hours of the encore at Dark Star Orchestra On Demand, but we can’t wait to see you on the road!

It's finally here, our favorite weekend, when our favorite bands, friends and family come together to celebrate music and community. The on-line tickets to join us in this celebration are now off sale but tickets will be available at the gate throughout the weekend. Grab your friends, your favorite digs and party favors and come hang with us at the Jubilee!

In anticipation of our upcoming appearance at the 10th annual Mountain Jam Festival on June 5, we are performing an intimate acoustic show in front of a small audience at GTR Store's NYC Showroom this Saturday afternoon, May 17th!

Want to go? There's only one way in, and that is to register to win tickets by entering here!

The Everyone Orchestra, conducted my Matt Butler, takes musicians on once in a lifetime improvisational journeys. The band and audience utilize The Conductor as their pivot to the set mood of each passing jam as he communicates with the musicians using hand signs, whiteboard and assorted mime suggestions. This is what Matt Butler has put together so far for the Dark Star Jubilee collaboration:

So here we are just 2 weeks away from the 3rd Annual Dark Star Jubilee. We are looking forward to seeing your smiling faces and feeling the warm vibes that you will bring to the community setting at Legend Valley. We are thrilled to present a weekend full of incredible bands and musicians, to unleash the schedule and to Let the Good Times Roll. Check out the schedule as posted on Facebook.

Yonder Mountain String Band will arrive to Legend Valley for The Dark Star Jubilee with special guests John Frazier (mandolin, fiddle) and the one and only Jerry Douglas (dobro) for their rare Late-Night set. We will miss Jeff Austin but are thrilled to check out this explosive combination of these talented musicians.

Sunday arrives and your stride has slowed to a peaceful pace. You’re one with the community, everyone around you is open and friendly and you are right where you want to be. Then the final day of your live music adventure begins. The morning kicks off with the Soulful sounds of AJ Ghent, into local favorites Aliver Hall and Rumpke Mountain Boys, then electric Americana from Donna the Buffalo, the funk from Orgone, bluegrass from our friends w Cornmeal, then New Orleans guitar shredding Anders Osborne, into The Wailers performing Legend in its entirey, closing out with a full 2 set mind expanding show by Dark Star. I’ll meet you at the Jubilee, pick up your VIP and General Admission passes here!

We can have high times if you’ll abide this weekend as we wrap up Spring Tour West with shows in Portland and Eugene, closing up with a 4/20 show in Seattle, WA! And as promised, another week closer to the The Dark Star Jubilee brings another line-up schedule. Performing with us Saturday, May 24th at Legend Valley will be the New Orleans funk sounds of Galactic, old friends New Riders of the Purple Sage, and the every-changing Everyone Orchestra. We’re also pleased to welcome Toubab Krewe, The Ragbirds, Ultraviolet Hippopotamus, Devil’s Lettuce and our very own Mattson/Barraco and Friends. And to keep the party going, brace yourself for a rare late night appearance by Yonder Mountain String Band! Bone up and grab your General Admission and VIP Packages now.

For each of the next 3 weeks, starting today, we’ll give you the heads up on the order of bands for each day, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Jubilee will kick off your campout on Friday, May 23rd with two full Dark Star Orchestra sets plus sets by our good friend Keller Williams with More Than A Little, The Rumpke Mountain Boys and a late-night “throw-down” with The Devil Makes Three. You have a chance to win a 4-pack of Jubilee Tickets worth over $500 if you just head over and “Like” the Dark Star Jubilee page, post a photo of your festival crew in action and share it! The more “Likes” your photo gets, the better your odds of being the lucky one! The winner will be chosen this Friday, April 11th so don’t wait! And if you just want to go ahead and let the good times roll, you can pick up your tickets here.

Spring Tour West is finally here! With Colorado and Arizona under our belts, we’re rolling on o the Promised Land with California on our minds! You can now hear what we’ve been up to on the way within two to three days of each show’s closing notes on Dark Star Orchestra On Demand. Catch every minute of our upcoming stay in the Bay Area as we arrive closer to bringing you immediate gratification channeled through Dark Star Orchestra from anywhere within reach of Internet connection. Stay tuned and rock on as we roll, and grab your tickets for upcoming shows here!

Summertime and the living couldn't be easier on Dark Star Orchestra Summer Tour! It kicks off June 26 in Minneapolis and ends with two nights at the Pisgah Brewing Company in Black Mountain, NC August 15-16t In between we'll wind westward to fire up the mountains of Bellvue, Bond and Dillon, CO with a sure to be sparkling July 4th celebration at Denver's Ogden Theater. Turning east, we're thrilled once again to be invited to the Gathering of the Vibes festival on July 31st before a two-night outdoor stand in Chesterfield, VA. Then it's through the East to the South before we finish the summer run in Black Mountain. Tickets for most shows are available now at DSO Fan Club Ticketing.

On this first day of spring, we look forward to warmer days at the Dark Star Jubilee. Your response to our lineup has been fantastic this year and we want to let you know that you have one last chance to save on advance tickets to our 3rd annual celebration of music and community.

Tickets will jump to the next price level on Monday, March 24 at 5:00pm!

Melt the remaining snow with new DSO goods hot off the press! Spring Tour West 2014 tees are available for pre-sale now at shopdso.net along with classic favorites to keep you on the cutting edge of Dark Star fashion. Join us on the road this spring on Spring Tours East and West and be sure to visit our merch table as we strive to have a little something for everyone like our new Golf Shirts, Bandannas, and tie-dyes to brighten up your day. See you at the Jubilee!

After an epic time in Jamaica’s tropical paradise where the communal vibes peaked and the music and collaborations were over the top. The celebration ended with a smokin’ set by The Bridge, Jeff Mattson and Rob Koritz sitting in with Steel Pulse for “Franklin’s Tower,” where their bass player “ambassador” referred to us as “Jerry’s children,” imagine that, and DSO closed its 1st set with “Stir it Up” with that very same bass player plus the keyboardist from Steel Pulse. Now it’s time to take a breather and then move West! Spring Tour West kicks off March 28-29 in Boulder, CO and hits mountains, deserts and all points in between. We'll spend quality time in the Bay Area with a two-night visit to Terrapin Crossroads and a three-night stand at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall, where we never feel like strangers. Once we roll into Seattle for our close at The Showbox, we'll be that much closer to the Dark Star Jubilee. Tickets for most Spring West shows and beyond are here.

The 3rd Annual Dark Star Jubilee announced today the addition of six new bands to the lineup. The new bands include The Devil Makes Three, The Everyone Orchestra, Donna The Buffalo, Orgone, AJ Ghent & Devil's Lettuce. They join an already stacked lineup including 3 nights of DSO, plus Yonder Mountain String Band, Galactic, Keller Williams With More Than A Little, New Riders Of The Purple Sage, The Wailers
(Performing "Legend" In Its Entirety), Anders Osborne, The Werks, Toubab Krewe & more!

Discounted presale tickets are available now where you can save over $40 off the gate price. Various options are available including a GA festival pass, RV pass, Little Star Kids passes as well as VIP experiences for those looking for an enhanced festival experience.

After slogging through the cold rain and snow before wrapping up in sunny FLA, Winter Tour 2014 is now another one for the books. Fortunately, most shows through our Asheville stop on 2/15 are available on mp3, FLAC and Compact Disc form at Dark Star Orchestra On Demand. Relive or experience for the first time the shows that we just performed on our Winter Tour. And check out the full Spring schedule here, with most shows available from Fan Club Ticketing.

We are excited for the third annual Jubilee and we hope that you are as well. We are thrilled to have some of our favorite bands returning to the Jubilee such as YMSB, Keller Williams, The Wailers, and The Werks and we are looking forward to sharing the stage with New Riders of the Purple Sage, Galactic, and Anders Osborne among others. If you know you're coming, grab your 3-day pass now and get the best price. Early Bird tickets will go off sale on Monday 2/23 at 5:00 pm EST.

Half way to where the climate suits our clothes! Winter Tour 2014 is truckin right along with additional Winter Tour stops in Birmingham and Charleston followed by our patented Florida Zig-Zag, featuring stops in Orlando, Ponte Vedra Beach, St. Pete’s and Ft. Lauderdale. Fly away with us from there to winter’s summer home, aka Jam In The Sand II. Night does not come quietly at this four-night all-inclusive Jamaican paradise including more than sun, fun and unlimited adult beverages. Count on three full electric DSO shows on the beach plus music by our friends Steel Pulse and The Bridge. Still time to snap up your spot on the beach! You can also find tix for Winter Tour and beyond here.

The lineup for our 3rd annual Dark Star Jubilee Festival was released today!

Bask in the festival light as you join us and your fellow revelers with
3 nights of Dark Star Orchestra
Yonder Mountain String Band
Galactic
Keller Williams with More Than A Little
New Riders of the Purple Sage
The Wailers (performing the Bob Marley album Legend in its entirety)
Anders Osborne
The Werks
Toubab Krewe
Cornmeal
UV Hippo
Rumpke Mountain Boys
The Ragbirds
Aliver Hall
plus additional artists still to be announced!

Held May 23-25 at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH, Dark Star Jubilee Early Bird tickets are available online now where you can save $40 off the gate price.

Get your downloads hot off the press at Dark Star Orchestra On Demand, including shows from the current Winter Tour with shows available within days of the encore! If you enjoyed the show so much that you want to add it to your collection, the wait will be short and the recording will last forever. Or if you want to stay tuned with our sounds on the road, just keep in touch with Dark Star Orchestra On Demand, and never miss a beat!

We are sorry to announce that tonight’s show (Wednesday, February 5) in Covington, KY is canceled due to snow and ice that has been falling in the Cincinnati area since last night. While we’d love to play for you, with a level 2 snow emergency declared for the area, we’re more concerned with your safety and seeing you our next time through than forcing this one in. Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase. You can check the Tour Page to find out where you can catch DSO on the rest of this tour. Stay safe and warm and we’ll see further down the road!

Open That Bridge, New Jersey, because Dark Star Orchestra’s SpringTour East 2014 launches May 15th at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair, NJ and will flow into Port Chester’s Capitol Theatre for the weekend of May 16-17. We’ll truck on down to Baltimore and Harrisburg before kicking off festival season by hosting our annual gathering, the Dark Star Jubilee at Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio, May 23-25! After we’ve met you at the Jubilee, we’ll swing back East celebrating springtime at Penn’s Peak and other hot spots. Tour closes as we double down with shows at Brooklyn Bowl and the Hampton Beach Casino. Be sure to check out the full tour schedule for dates, grab your tix through our Fan Club Ticketing and be on the lookout for a major Jubilee lineup announcement coming real soon!

Countdown To Kickoff! No, not that one, though we’re mostly sports fans too, Winter Tour 2014 kicks off Wednesday, January 29 in Minneapolis. A few days later we make one of our favorite stops of Winter Tour, when we visit our old “Sweet Home Chicago” on January 31and to mark our return, we will visit WXRT’s performance space for a live acoustic performance! You can check it out at 1 PM Central on show day at wxrt.com. As the tour winds through the Midwest to the South, including stops in St. Louis, Indianapolis and Columbus, please note that our Lexington, KY show on February 11 has been moved to Busters Billiards & Backroom. From there we head to the Carolinas, plus two quick stops in Atlanta and Birmingham, then wind the tour up with four Florida shows before our trip to Jamaica for Jam In The Sand II. Tickets for most shows can be scored at Fan Club Tickets and you can gear up for the road at ShopDSO.net. On the Jamaican front, only a few lodging options are left, so get on board before it’s too late!

Bring on the blue ocean and the white sand, and dance with DSO at Jam In The Sand II. Come refresh your spirit at the ALL-INCLUSIVE Breezes Grand Lido Negril Resort & Spa in Negril, Jamaica, February 28 – March 4, 2014. DSO is set to plant their toes and rock the beach while sharing their soul shakedown with the roots reggae sounds of Steel Pulse and their good friends, The Bridge. Ocean-view, jacuzzi and penthouse suites are still available at this adults-only extravaganza which promises to be packed with warm experiences, cold drinks and smokin’ hot jams. They say “the heart has its beaches,” well make sure you find yours! Book your 2 tickets to Paradise and we’ll see you there!

Step out of the deep freeze and into hot new gear in time for Winter Tour 2014! Tour shirt sneak peek and pre-order going on now at shopdso.net so you can be ready for our annual swing through the Land of 10,000 Lakes, many of our Midwestern hometowns, and our skip through the Sunshine State on our way to Jamaica for Jam in the Sand II, mon! Tickets for most shows are available through Fan Club. Also, if you want to relive Fall Tour, new shows have just been posted here.

We want to wish each of you a Happy New Year and thank you for another great year of music, dancing, and Dark Star Orchestra! We’re gonna take just a few weeks to recover from the Cosmic New Year’s celebration and then we’ll hit the road with Winter Tour, followed by Jam in the Sand IIand then more touring, including our third Dark Star Jubilee. Keep checking back for all the breaking news and find tickets for most of our shows here. Did you forget to get someone a gift or do you just want to keep giving? Check us out online at ShopDSO for all the coolest gear to keep you warm through the winter. Bring on 2014…

Dark Star Orchestra wishes all of you in our DSO family a very happy, healthy and safe Holiday Season. When the big day comes, as you’re celebrating with friends and family, listening to your brand new DSO downloads and packing your DSO gear for the Cosmic New Year’s celebration, we hope you and your loved ones are surrounded by the peace and serenity of the season. We also hope you will extend the joy of the holiday season well into winter, warming up with us at Dark Star’s Jam in the Sand II, February 28-March 4, at the Grand Lido Negril, Jamaica. It’s four nights of DSO, Steel Pulse and The Bridge, and you can find all the info on packages here. Have an amazing holiday and we’ll see you on down the road!

Dark Star Orchestra's annual Spring Tour West trek has been announced and includes all our left coast favorite places to keep you dancing until the rock-n-rolling music meets the rising, shining sun. Kicking off in Colorado with two nights at The Boulder Theater, a night in Aspen, then Southwest stops in Arizona, the tour heads to SoCal before a week in the San Francisco Bay Area that includes two nights at Terrapin Crossroads and three more at SF's Great American Music Hall. After that the DSO bus makes a few more stops in Northern California, crosses into Oregon for shows in Portland and Eugene, then we wind it up with a smokin' 4/20 show in Seattle. All the dates are on the tour page and tickets for most shows can found here.

There's still plenty of time to pick out that appropriate gift for that DSO Head in your life at shopdso.net and while you're at it, deck the halls to new releases from both East and West 2013 Fall Tours available now at DSO On Demand. Grab something for your favorite person, your self, and relive a memorable jam or take a breather from shaking your bones and stop by our merch table. Live downloads are instant, but be sure to order other goods from ShopDSO by December 20th for delivery by Christmas.

We are thrilled to announce that our very own Dark Star Jubilee Music Festival & Campout returns for its third year, held once again at Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio. We love the history of this venue and look forward to rocking with you all for three full DSO shows plus two dozen additional bands May 23 - 26, 2014. Starting December 3, full three-day festival advanced tickets will be available for $99 for a limited time. We look forward to hosting you all! In the meantime, keep the conversation going on our Facebook page and share the news, post comments with band suggestions and other ideas. This will be the best Jubilee yet!

While we’re sure you would rather talk about Black Peter than Black Friday, this is a time for giving thanks and giving gifts. Make it easy on yourself at shopdso.net, where you can stock up on warm goods for cold weather like hoodies, hats and long-sleeve T-shirts, or gear up for Jam In The Sand and surprise your fine lady friend with a ladies’ tank top for hangin' on the beach. And so you can keep on dancin' to your favorite sets, don’t forget that the best shows of 2013, including some from the recent Fall Tour West, are regularly being posted here. Shipping now for Hanukkah delivery, but stay tuned in the coming days for a sneak peak of more in-store winter choices.

With DSO’s Fall Tour East starting this week, we're excited to once again be partnering up with Strangers Helping Strangers and asking you for donations of food and other items for local food banks at some of our shows in Albany, NY, Burlington, VT, Portland, ME, Concord, NH and Wallingford, CT. Please bring non-perishable food items, toiletries and personal hygiene or baby products for donation to the show and drop them off at their table before the music starts. Take the opportunity to give back to the communities that host us and donate food to SHS! If you still need a ticket, tickets for most shows are right here.

With the holiday season approaching, we're looking forward to our return trip with you to Jamaica for Jam in the Sand Feb. 28 - March 4, 2014. Today we announce an offer to reel in your friends and take advantage of the just announced discounted group rates where each person could save up to $400 on a Jam in the Sand package. To get your group signed up, contact Island Gigs @ 888-423-7738. This discounted group offer runs through December 31.

Keep in mind, all JITS packages include airport to hotel transportation, unlimited drinks, all meals and much more! See you on the beautiful Negril beach!

We’re less than two weeks away from the start of Fall Tour East and – except for those of you who caught the New York City area shows in May – it marks the introduction of Dark Star Orchestra’s new bassist, Skip Vangelas, to our East Coast fans. After stellar reviews for the four May shows where Skip sat in, he joined us full-time for the recent West Coast tour and fans embraced him as quickly as his new band-mates did. Skip’s bombs had the western fans reelin’ and rockin’, so be among the first east-coasters to celebrate the new generation of DSO. Tickets for most shows, including the Cosmic New Year’s Run, are available at DSOtix, and don’t forget to check out Winter Tour 2014 tickets here.

Once again, Dark Star Orchestra kicks off the New Year in the cold reaches of the Upper Midwest, starting WinterTour 2014 in Minneapolis before winding its way south until wrapping up with four nights in Florida. Then it’s off to Negril for our late winter-summer holiday; Dark Star’s Jamaican Jam In The Sand II featuring 4 nights of DSO, Steel Pulse, The Bridge and all you can eat, drink and sport along the beach and in the ocean. The complete schedule is on the Dark Star Orchestra Tour Page, with tickets for most shows available from DSOtix. If you’re looking for tickets for Fall Tour East or the Cosmic New Year’s shows, you’ll find them here.

The DSO On Demand team has been working overtime to get the best of 2013 out to you, putting four more shows up in just the last week. You can now get Dark Star Orchestra’s August performances from the Pisgah Brewing Company in Black Mountain, NC, Pier 6 in Baltimore and the special acoustic Bearsville show that wrapped up DSOHS just by clicking here. New shows are going up regularly, so keep checking DSO On Demand for more tunes.

Following the Spring departure of our longtime bassist, Kevin Rosen, we offered temporary spots to a handful of talented performers. Today, we announce the formal, permanent bassist role going to Skip Vangelas who is currently on tour with us. Vangelas previously played with Rob Eaton in the band Border Legion and was briefly in DSO himself in 2001. We are thrilled to have him locked in as our man of choice for this vital role.

Five new Dark Star Orchestra shows from 2013 are now available at DSO On Demand! We’ve put up all three performances from Memorial Day’s Dark Star Jubilee, along with Kevin Rosen’s last show at the Hampton Beach Casino in June. Just for good measure, we also have our July GOTV sets available too, with more shows coming soon. You can also still find some of your favorite DSO shows from the last few years, so check out all that’s available here.

Dark Star Orchestra has extended Fall Tour East by one show, adding a second night at Washington D.C.’s 9:30 Club on Saturday, December 7. This brings us up to 20 shows on the tour, and we hope to see you early and often, as we start in Buffalo on November 13, returning to Toronto, Jim Thorpe, New York, Charlottesville and plenty of our other favorite spots along the way. Tickets are available for most shows at DSOtix, including the shows left on Fall Tour West, so grab yours now.

After a beach-bumming, sun-soaking, toe-tapping, sold-out great time was had earlier this year, Dark Star Orchestra and Island Gigs are teaming up once again to host the Jamaican Jam In The Sand II at the adults only (all-inclusive) Grand Lido Negril Resort & Spa in Negril, Jamaica. Joining the host band this year will be legendary roots reggae band, Steel Pulse and Baltimore’s recently reunited, The Bridge. Grammy award-winning reggae band Steel Pulse has been true to their roots for over 35 years. One of Bob Marley's favorites, the band has maintained a sense of fierce integrity as it strives to get the message of love and justice across to all people.

Jam In The Sand II offers attendees:
- 3 full 2-set performances and 1 special acoustic performance from Dark Star Orchestra right on the beach
- 2 full set performances from Steel Pulse and 3 sets of The Bridge right on the beach
- 4 nights at the 5-Star Grand Lido Negril Resort & Spa, an all-inclusive resort that includes
1) All meals from any of the six restaurants on resort grounds (Japanese, French, Italian, Jamaican, late night options and more)
2) Bottomless beverages including liquor, beer, wine, champagne and frozen island specialties
3) Water sports such as Scuba-Diving, Snorkeling right from the resort, Water-Skiing, Snorkeling Trips, Glass Bottom Boat Rides, Sailing, Wind Surfing, Kayaking and more
4) Activities such as Yoga, Tennis, Jamaican Mixology and Cooking Classes, Tie-Dye Instruction and more
5) Airport to resort ground transportation
6) No need to carry cash! There is no tipping... guests book their flight, purchase the Jam in the Sand package, and the deal is done!

Registration is available now and attendees can book online here or by phone at 888-423-7738

For further information on Jam in the Sand, please visit dsojaminthesand.com.

Fall Tour West is only a week away and the best way to be styling for the road is to stock up on your favorite Dark Star threads at ShopDSO.net. In addition to tees, hoodies, and pins you can snag the current Tour shirt prior to the next show and check out our new items with a simple click of the mouse. The new items include dyes, vintage skull pins, ladies burnout shirts and psychedelic shoelaces, along with the hats, pins and stickers you already love. ShopDSO.net is the only place to get your touring wardrobe ready to rock.

There comes a time and the time is now to plan on spending the end of the winter with us at Dark Star’s all inclusive Jamaican Jam In The Sand II. If you missed last year’s inaugural trip to the Caribbean, you may have heard about the island adventures during the day and the intimate shows where everyone’s a VIP at night. The concerts take place on the beach where you can actually wade in the ocean and check out the band at the same time. In addition to three full DSO shows and one acoustic performance, all the food, beverage and festivities you can handle are included, so you can leave your cash at home and just lay back and enjoy four days in the sun. Stay tuned for more exciting announcements to come! All the details and booking info is right here.

We hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend and that you’re as fired up as the entire Dark Star Orchestra team is to get to Jackson Hole on September 27 to kick off Fall Tour West! From there it’s off to Montana with stops in Bozeman and Missoula, then we head to Washington state and Oregon before our five California shows. We wind things up with stops in Vegas and Salt Lake plus a three-night blow-out in Boulder. Our friend Skip Vangelas will be handling bass duties on this run, so grab your low service fee tickets at DSOtix, join the fun and come check him out.

Dark Star has just added another show to Fall Tour West, bringing the band to The Ashland Ballroom in Ashland, OR on Monday, October 7. This is just one more night to dance on a tour that starts in Jackson Hole on September 27 before heading across Montana on the way to five nights in the Pacific Northwest, a week in California – including two nights at the Fillmore – and stops in Las Vegas and Salt Lake City before winding up with three nights at Boulder’s Fox Theatre. Tickets for most shows are available at DSOtix.

Dark Star Orchestra has announced it will ring in 2014 by returning to Huntington, NY’s Paramount Theatre for two nights, December 30 and 31. In the days leading up to this two-day Cosmic New Year’s celebration, the band will also make stops at The National in Richmond plus Philly’s Electric Factory, with tickets for all four shows available at DSOtix. Start making plans now and stay tuned for info on hotel deals to complete your Cosmic New Year’s trip to Long Island!

As Dark Star Orchestra’s Summer Tour rolls on through the end of this week, the show scheduled for the Greenfield Lake Amphitheater in Wilmington, NC tonight (8/14) has been moved to Ziggy’s By The Sea, 208 Market Street. After that it’s on to Winston-Salem before wrapping up with two nights in Black Mountain, NC. Tickets are still available at DSOtix.

Meantime, Fall Tour East has two new shows on the books, with the band returning to The Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville on December 5, followed by the annual visit to D.C.’s 9:30 Club on Friday, December 6. Tickets for both shows will be available at DSOtix, along with most other DSO shows.

You’ll barely feel the weather getting colder as Dark Star Orchestra heats things up with Fall Tour East, beginning November 13 in Buffalo followed by a return trip across the border to Toronto and winding up in State College, PA on December 4. In between DSO will return to Burlington’s Higher Ground for two nights, swing past Penn’s Peak for Thanksgiving Eve and then spend the weekend on Broadway in New York City’s Best Buy Theater, before blowing the roof off the Tarrytown Music Hall for two nights. The complete schedule is here and most shows are available from DSOtix.

It’s just ten days until DSO High School, August 5-9 at the Full Moon Resort in the Catskill Forest Preserve in Big Indian, New York, and we're more than stoked to join you for four days and nights of live performances – including a special acoustic show at the Bearsville Theater. Beyond that you will enjoy imaginative band and crew workshops, master classes, presentations, and a look into the Grateful Dead's brilliant approach to music, with instructors that include Donna Jean Godchaux, David Gans and Betty Cantor-Jackson. If you think that sounds more like “camp” than “school,” then you’ll really love the gourmet meals, hiking, swimming and fun! Full Moon is a year-round mountain resort dedicated to the celebration of nature, music and the arts. Register now and spend the first week of August making some of the coolest high-school memories ever!

The next three Dark Star Orchestra shows are festivals, starting with a special acoustic set at the All Good Festival in Thornville, OH on Friday (7/19), Long Island’s Great South Bay Music Festival on Saturday (7/20) and then the official kick-off of Summer Tour 2013, Leg 2, next Thursday (7/25) in Connecticut at the Gathering Of The Vibes! From there, we have 18 dates over three weeks including the centerpiece, DSO High School. DSOHS is happening August 5-9 at the Full Moon Resort in the Catskill Forest Preserve in Big Indian, with band and crew workshops, master classes, presentations, interactive jams and guest instructors that include Donna Jean Godchaux, David Gans and Betty Cantor-Jackson each day, plus nightly Dark Star Orchestra shows. In addition, we’ve added a full two-set acoustic show at the nearby Bearsville Theater on Thursday, August 8, and we’re including that your DSOHS registration! More curriculum details are here, and don’t forget to check out the full tour schedule for Summer Tour 2013. Tickets for most shows are available at DSOtix.

No sooner will Summer turn to Fall than Dark Star Orchestra will be truckin’ on with the Fall Tour West, beginning September 27. Starting with mountain spots like Jackson Hole, Bozeman and Missoula, the bus then heads northwest for three shows in Washington state, two nights in Portland, followed by a trek through California that stops in good ole SF for a weekend. Finally, making stops in Vegas and Salt Lake before wrapping up in late October with three nights in Boulder! Tickets for most shows are at DSOtix.

We hope everyone had a happy Fourth of July holiday, but now it’s just one month until the first DSO High School, August 5-9 at the Full Moon Resort in the Catskill Forest Preserve in Big Indian, New York, and we've added a special acoustic show at The Bearsville Theater on Thursday, August 8. The show is included as a bonus for those attending DSOHS, plus tickets will be available to the public, so if you're not "gettin' schooled" you can still rock out at the show. Other benefits of registering for class include band and crew workshops, master classes, presentations, interactive jams and guest instructors that include Donna Jean Godchaux, David Gans and Betty Cantor-Jackson, plus nightly Dark Star Orchestra shows. The full expanded curriculum can be seen here, and there are accommodations to fit any preference. Register now and spend the first week of August in the coolest school ever!

Take a sneak peak at the brand new Dark Star Orchestra online store. With our new sleek interface it’s easier than ever to wave your DSO flag with everything from tees to hoodies to batiks to dyes and everything in between. We’re aiming for a Fall grand-opening, but you can look around now and pick up what you need for Summer Tour.

Speaking of Summer Tour 2013, DSO kicks things off in Colorado this weekend and stays on the road through August, with stops that include our annual stop in Apple Valley, MN, a free show in Springfield, OH and visits to the All Good Festival, Long Island’s Great South Bay Music Festival, Gathering of the Vibes, A Bear’s Picnic and plenty of places in between, including the first ever DSO High School. So come help us welcome Jim Allard will fill in as Dark Star Orchestra bassist the summer tour dates. Tickets for most shows are here.

Dark Star Orchestra has announced the expanded curriculum for the first DSO High School retreat at the beautiful Full Moon Resort in the Catskill Forest Preserve in Big Indian, New York. The dates are August 5-9, so join us for four days and nights of live performances, imaginative band and crew workshops, master classes, presentations, interactive jams and an inside look into the Grateful Dead's approach to music.

There will be gourmet meals, hiking, swimming and fun, plus expert faculty such as Grateful Dead Hour host David Gans, legendary Dead recording engineer Betty Cantor-Jackson and former Grateful Dead singer Donna Jean Godchaux. Learn guitar, keyboard and drum techniques and the signature guitar sounds of Jerry and Bob from members of DSO and hear "Betty Board" recordings never previously released. To find all the details of classes and special private performances from DSO, just click here.

We’re just 10 days away from Summer Tour 2013, taking Dark Star Orchestra from Colorado on a winding road through most of the country, including another stop at Legend Valley for the All Good Festival, the Great South Bay Festival, GOTV and the first ever DSO High School. We’re hitting all the favorite summer venues like The Mish, the Minnesota Zoo, Veterans Park Amphitheater and many more. All the info is here and most tickets are available at DSOtix.

It was indeed a high time in Legend Valley over Memorial Day weekend as Dark Star ignited the summer festival vibe at The Jubilee for three days of incredible music, unreal jams and good lovin' family vibes! Putting an ’80s show recreation together with two insane electives, DSO set the tone for thrilling music with all of the other performers rising to the occasion with outstanding sets.

Some of the highlights included a psychedelic sit-in by Rob and Dino when Mickey Hart Band wrapped up the first night with a stellar “Fire On The Mountain;” Koritz drumming and Rob Barraco sitting on bass with DSO Tour Manager extraordinaire, Matt Reynolds, for his Saturday set; and Jeff Mattson ripping through a set with the Donna Jean Godchaux Band augmented by Koritz adding percussion flair.

Now it’s off to New England for the last week of Spring Tour East, ending with a bittersweet show in Hampton Beach, NH as we bid adieu to DSO's original bassist Kevin Rosen. Tickets can still be found here.

The Dark Star Jubilee is finally here, and we couldn't be more excited for the weekend ahead of us! The days will be warm and the nights will be cool, so be prepared for both and don't forget to stock up on plenty of drinks as the festival is BYOB - we will NOT be selling beer or liquor on-site. Most of your camping will be inside the concert venue (tents only) and just a short walk to your car. This weekend is bound to be full of amazing experiences and magical moments, so bring along your friends for 3 beautiful days of Dark Star Orchestra, our family and our favorite bands. Advance tickets are available until 8:00 pm on Thursday. Gate Prices: 3 Day $150, 2 Day $120 (9:00 am on Sat - noon on Mon), 1 Day $80 (9:00 am on Sun - noon on Mon). Need a ride?? Check out Ricky Rides. We'll meet you at The Jubilee!

In just a few short days we will gather together at Legend Valley in peace, music and communal kindness for The Dark Star Jubilee. By offering Tent Camping inside the concert venue, we will create a space where fans, bands and staff interact as one. Take advantage of the unique situation for tent campers, where you can park your car, BYOB, carry your gear for a couple hundred years and set up camp right inside the concert venue. You camp with the family, away from the rest of the world, facing the stage, near the vendors, and with the music. Grab your tickets in advance, save some dough and we’ll see you soon!

We're so excited to once again be partnering up with Strangers Helping Strangers to raise food donations for local food banks at some of our upcoming shows in Wilmington, DE, Keene, NH, Boston and Hampton Beach. Please bring non-perishable food items with you to the show and drop them off at their table before the music starts. As always, the healthier the better, but they accept everything from beans and rice to tuna and ramen. Take the opportunity to give back to the community that hosts us for one great night and donate food to SHS! Don’t have a ticket yet? Check here.

Bassist Kevin Rosen is the longest running member of Dark Star Orchestra having performed over 2000 shows since we formed with a four-night stand at Martyrs’ in Chicago in November 1997.

Citing health issues of his aging mother and a need for an extended break from touring, Rosen will perform at our 2nd annual Dark Star Jubilee Festival before finishing his low end duties at the June 1 tour-ending performance at Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom in Portsmouth, NH.

A variety of bassists have stepped up to fill the vital role beginning with Skip Vangelas filling in May 9 – 14. Skip played with DSO rhythm guitarist/vocalist Rob Eaton in the NJ-based Border Legion and filled in on bass for four DSO Colorado shows in the Spring of 2001. Kevin returns to the road to handle the low end from May 15 to June 1. Starting with DSO’s summer tour, bassist Jim Allard will fill in as Dark Star Orchestra bassist staring June 28 through the summer tour dates.

Kevin’s note to Dark Star Orchestra fans and his band mates:

Dear friends,

After all my years of touring with Dark Star Orchestra, I find myself in need of an extended break from life on the road. In addition, my mother’s declining health makes it even more important to be home at this time.
For the first five shows of our May tour, our good friend, Skip Vengelas will be filling the bass role. I will be returning for the rest of the tour, culminating with my last performance at the Hampton Beach Casino Ballroom on June 1. Please know that I am leaving with a heavy heart.
I would like to thank all of the fans for your support throughout the years. I would also like to express my gratitude to all the members of the DSO family. Over the years, you have become my family. It has been one of the great pleasures of my life to be a part of DSO and I know that I am going to miss it. I will surely miss my band mates, all of my friends in the audience and the many great people I have met along the way.
Rest assured that the train will keep on rolling and the bass position will be in capable hands for years to come.
May all of your days be good ones!
Peace –
Kevin Rosen

With less than a month until the second Dark Star Jubilee, May 24-26 at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH, we’ve just announced the schedule for Friday May 24. Kicking things off at 6 PM will be Greensky Bluegrass on the Dark Star Stage, then we move to The Other One (other stage, that is), where The Ark Band plays until it’s time for a full two-set DSO show, but the fun doesn’t stop there as we move on to Late Night sets from Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, followed by Mickey Hart Band! Tickets and camping packages can be found here. If you would like to work in exchange for your Dark Star Jubilee ticket check here to read all about it.

The All Good Festival announced a special acoustic set by DSO today to take place on the weekend of July 18 - 21 at Legend Valley. You can get all the ticket details here, including info on a Dark Star Jubilee/All Good Festival package put together for festival lovers where you can double your fun for a lot less than double the price. With The Jubilee, All Good, DSO High School and Jam In The Sand II on the horizon, plus Spring Tour East 2013 starting in two weeks, keep checking back for all the up-to-date info as it happens. And don’t forget tickets for most shows can be found at DSOtix.

We're extremely excited to announce that Dark Star Orchestra and Island Gigs will be teaming up once again to host...

Dark Star's Jamaican JAM IN THE SAND II

An ALL-INCLUSIVE trip to Jamaica….. at the adults only (all-inclusive) Breezes Grand Resort, Negril, Jamaica, February 28 - March 4, 2014.

This is an event that you and yours will not want to miss... your days will be spent on the beach enjoying everything the resort has to offer and the nights will be spent under the stars with Dark Star Orchestra.

As the Jubilee is fast approaching, we’re getting more and more excited about all the magic that’s gonna happen. It’s time to share some of that with you. On Friday, Mickey Hart Band, as a curtain call to last year’s impromptu drum circle in the VIP tent, will rock & roll us into the morning hours. On Saturday, DSO will start their headlining set a little later than usual and keep it rockin’ through the midnight hour. When Sunday night comes around, the local favorites, The Werks will light it up and close out the festival. Grab your ticket now

With the unfortunate cancellation of the Mighty High Mountain Fest, we added a couple of shows so our upstate New York friends can still get their DSO Boogie on for the weekend of May 18-19. Dark Star Orchestra is pleased to add May 18th at the Town Ballroom in Buffalo, NY and May 19th at Rochester’s Water Street Music Hall to Spring Tour East 2013! Tickets for most shows are at DSOtix. And – of course – after our Upstate swing it’s on to Thornville, OH, where we’ll meet you at The Jubilee!

DSO High School is coming up August 5 - 9 at the Full Moon Resort in the Catskills, and you have until midnight Friday, April 5, to save $200 off the full tuition. DSOHS offers an exclusive curriculum designed for the music-loving Head, with workshops, activities, music lessons and nightly Dark Star Orchestra shows. DSOHS is part of the Music Masters Camp series where educational, recreational and artistic workshops fill the days with sessions led by the members of DSO plus great instructors including Donna Jean Godchaux, Betty Cantor-Jackson and David Gans. A variety of DSO High School packages are available now and include catered food and a variety of accommodations from upscale lodging to tent camping at Full Moon Resort, just a half hour west of Woodstock, NY. Click here before midnight Friday and save!

Dark Star Orchestra has just kicked off Spring Tour West in Colorado, and before we’re done we’ll hit Phoenix, all of California – including five nights in the San Francisco Bay Area – and finish up on 4/20 weekend in the Pacific Northwest. All this leads to Spring Tour East, which includes the 2nd Annual Dark Star Jubilee. Tickets for most shows are at DSOtix, and for The Jubilee you can still grab GA tickets, Good Lovin’ VIP passes, Little Star kids’ tickets, both GA and VIP RV passes and – of course – the GA Package Deal that gets you in to both The Jubilee and the All Good Festival for one low price. All those options are here.

Dark Star Orchestra is proud to announce an intimate experience for its fans! DSO High School is a week-long retreat at the Full Moon Resort in the Catskills August 5 – 9, offering an exclusive curriculum with workshops, activities, music lessons as well as nightly Dark Star Orchestra shows. DSO takes you back to school as part of the Music Masters Camp series where educational, recreational and artistic workshops fill the days with sessions led by the members of DSO plus guest instructors including Donna Jean Godchaux, Betty Cantor-Jackson and David Gans. DSO High School packages are available now and include catered food and a variety of accommodations from upscale lodging to tent camping at Full Moon Resorts which is located one half hour west of Woodstock, New York. Buy Now and Save $200 through Early Bird Registration until April 5th.

Dark Star Orchestra makes our annual cross-country trek starting June 28 as we kick off Summer Tour 2013 with a return to the gorgeous Mishawaka Amphitheatre in Bellvue, CO, winding our way across country to some familiar spots and some new ones, including August’s very first DSO High School in Big Indian, NY. Some of the highlights are festival stops at Gathering Of The Vibes, Great South Bay Music Festival, Bear’s Picnic and a Believe in Music Benefit at Pier Six Pavilion in Baltimore. All the dates are here, with tickets for most shows available through DSOtix.

We are geared up to start touring again with you all aboard out Spring Tour West. Starting the last week in March with three shows in Colorado and spend the next three weeks bringing the cosmic party through the Southwest and California (including our first stop at Terrapin Crossroads!), before winding up in the Pacific NW for three 4/20 weekend shows. You can get tickets for most shows at DSOtix.

All this leads us back East, spending Memorial Day weekend with you at our second Dark Star Jubilee at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH, May 24-26. Morning Dew Early Bird Tickets are available now, grab yours now and save over $30 off the Gate Price. We’ll meet you at the Jubilee!

We want to thank each of you who joined us for the experience that was this year's Jam in the Sand Festival. Everything exceeded our expectations and we were beyond thrilled to participate in such an epic celebration of music and friends in such a beautiful location with friends and family, new and old. Big props go out to our crew; working tirelessly in wind, sand, rain and heat to bring you four amazing nights of music a midst wild tropical weather. We loved getting to share it with our long-time friend Keller Williams. The inspirational and impromptu jams, the bonfires at Far Bar, the conversations with each of you, the melding of music and a paradise location all made for a fantastic week in Negril, Jamaica.

We are beyond thrilled to let you know we'll be returning for a 2nd Annual Jam in the Sand come 2014. Details will be available soon. In the meantime, check out this initial 2013 Jam in the Sand photo album. See you in Jamaica in 2014, mon!

Jubilee friends and family,
Just a quick note... Thank you all so much for your warm response to our announcement and on-sale for this year's Dark Star Jubilee. Our Morning Dew Early Bird Tickets have flown out the window quicker than we expected and are about to sell out. We want to give you one last chance to get the best price on your ticket… GA and VIP tickets will jump to the next price level at 5:00 pm EST on Monday, February 25th. Click here to View All Ticketing Options.

Dark Star Orchestra kicks off Spring Tour East 2013 on May 9 with the first of two shows at the fabled Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY, hitting most of your favorite halls on the East Coast plus two festivals along the way. This run includes our annual stop at the Mighty High Mountain Fest in Tuxedo, NY and – of course – the Memorial Day Weekend 2nd Annual Dark Star Jubilee at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH. The Dark Star Jubilee features Mickey Hart, Yonder Mountain, The Wailers, Donna Jean, Karl Denson and much, much more! Tickets for most shows are at DSOtix. We’ll meet you at The Jubilee!

We have a treat for those of you attending our show Tuesday, February 19 at the Vinyl Music Hall in Pensacola, FL. We will be performing a rare JGB set and are honored to be joined by Donna Jean Godchaux. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Rob Eaton has had to leave the road for a few days due to a family emergency; we all wish him and family the best. Meanwhile, Chopper Campbell - who toured with DSO in 2000 and played with Rob Koritz and Dino English prior - will join us for our Fillmore show in Charlotte and our Variety Playhouse show in Atlanta.

Dark Star Orchestra is proud to have just added a show on April 9th at Phil Lesh’s Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, CA. Terrapin Crossroads opened last year with much fanfare, as Phil set up a “home” venue, complete with a full restaurant and bar, to not only play when he isn’t on the road, but to provide an artist friendly venue for bands to perform. With the extended GD history in San Rafael, the invitation to play Phil’s very own Grate Room has the band stoked, guaranteeing this will be a night to remember. Tickets for the DSO April 9 Terrapin Crossroads show are available here.

We are thrilled to once again bring you the Dark Star Jubilee, where the bands, fans and crew come together as one! This year The 2nd Annual Dark Star Jubilee will take place at Legend Valley over Memorial Day Weekend (May 24-26) and will feature three full nights of Dark Star Orchestra, in addition to what are sure to be mind-expanding sets all weekend long from Mickey Hart Band, Yonder Mountain String Band, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, The New Orleans Suspects ft. Paul Barrere & Fred Tackett of Little Feat, The Wailers, The Werks, Elephant Revival, Donna Jean Godchaux Band, John Brown's Body, Marco Benevento, Greensky Bluegrass, Pimps of Joytime, Rumpke Mountain Boys, BigeaR, The Folkadelics, My Brothers and Sister, The Ark Band and Matt Reynolds, with five more bands to be announced.

Just like last year, the 2013 Jubilee will be an intimate, family event with tent camping right inside the concert bowl and the option to camp next to your car just a few hundred yards away. The community here is unlike many other festivals, with open campfires in designated areas and welcomed acoustic music made by you and your neighbors.. At the Jubilee, you will never have to miss a set because of scheduling, long hikes to your site, or waiting in the beer line, as we encourage patrons 21 years and older to BRING THEIR OWN CANNED BEER anywhere on the festival grounds. No glass please, but BYOB is highly recommended- we won't be selling beer on site.

Good Lovin VIP tickets are available and include access to numerous perks, including the Good Lovin' Lounge, located less than 100 feet from the side-by-side stages. Click here for all the Ticket Options, we hope to Meet You at the Jubilee!

Come Join Us in All Kinds of Weather. Dark Star Orchestra’s Winter Tour 2013 kicks off Wednesday night (1/30) in Minneapolis and then the tour bus winds its way through Minnesota, Illinois and Michigan before heading south. We’ll make stops in Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio and western PA before southern sun dries our cold, wet bones in Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia. Then things really heat up as we spend the last week of tour in sunny Florida. We then set sail for Negril, Jamaica and Dark Star’s Jamaican Jam In The Sand. Tickets for most shows are still available at DSOtix; we’ll see you on the road!

Dark Star Orchestra is beckoning to the spring with Spring Tour West 2013 starting in Colorado on March 28 with a rousing 4/20 conclusion set for Seattle. Along the way we’ll include shows in Denver, San Diego and almost a full week around the Bay Area, while visiting some of our favorite venues as well as new ones, including Club Nokia in L.A. Tickets for most shows are available now at DSOtix.

We hope that your Holiday Season and New Year was as joyous for you as it was for us. We are grateful for the growing numbers of you that continue to come out and experience the music with us. 2012 was an incredible year and 2013 promises to be even better.

The band is playing with the energy of a steam locomotive, and will continue that course on Winter Tour 2013, starting on January 30 in Minneapolis and winding through the Midwest and South before finishing up in Ft. Lauderdale just before the Jamaican Jam In The Sand. You can score your tickets for most Winter Tour shows at DSOtix.

If that weren’t enough, Jeff Mattson will be spending his Sunday afternoon joining SiriusXM’s Tales From The Golden Road hosts Gary Lambert and David Gans channel, for most of the show. You can hear Jeff with Gary and David this Sunday (1/6) from 4-6 p.m. Eastern on the Grateful Dead Channel, SiriusXM 23.

We hope the Dark Star Family is enjoying the season with friends and good cheer. For those of you celebrating the final days of the year, we would like to invite you to our last couple of gigs of 2012. We’ll be at the Rams Head Live in B-more on Friday, The Electric Factory in Philly on Saturday, and on Dec 30 and 31we will close 2012 and welcome in 2013 at the Paramount in Huntington, NY, to include 3 Electric sets for New Year’s Eve.

As the Winter Solstice hits today and the days begin to be longer once again we would like to wish a Happy Holiday Season to every member of the Dark Star Family! We hope that you all have time to reflect on the good things that took place in 2012 and to look ahead to a promising year of love, laughter and music in 2013. See you soon!

We are proud to announce the 2nd Annual Dark Star Jubilee. We could not wait until Labor Day so we are moving the Jubilee to Memorial Day Weekend. The festivities will take place on May 24-26, 2013 at Legend Valley in Thornville, Ohio (30 minutes East of Columbus)

The Dark Star Jubilee will operate with the same philosophy as last year where the fans, bands, and crew co-exist as one. We aspire to once again create a memorable and spiritual experience featuring 3 nights of Dark Star Orchestra, 20+ bands, 35 hours of music and 3 nights of camping.

So mark your calendars, gather your friends and family and we’ll ‘Meet You at the Jubilee’

The holiday season is upon us and the perfect getaway gift for yourself and your favorite someone is Dark Star's Jamaican Jam In The Sand at Breezes Grand Resort in Negril, Jamaica, March 1-5. For one all-inclusive price you get four nights at Breezes, three full DSO shows plus one acoustic set, three nights of Keller Williams, ground transportation, meals and unlimited beer, wine, liquor and other beverages. The meals will be at whichever of the six on-site restaurants you choose, including Japanese, French, Italian, native Jamaican plus late night option and room service. Once you book the trip you can leave your cash at home, but there are only a few beachfront rooms available, so act now by callin 888-423-7738, or just click here.

Tonight’s the night (12/5) Jeff Chimenti starts his four-show DSO run at The Egg in Albany, as our Rob Barraco is out west to play with Phil Lesh in The Q! This limited run continues through Saturday with shows in Portland, ME, Wallingford, CT and Lowell, MA, so grab your tickets now to make sure you’re part of these special shows.

Once this tour is over, we take a short break before Dark Star Orchestra’s annual Cosmic New Year’s Run, featuring stops in Baltimore and Philadelphia before two nights in Huntington, NY to ring in 2013. Tickets for all the shows are here, with special NYE hotel info available on the Tour Page.

Coming off a sellout at Washington, DC’s 9:30 Club, with the second night sure to do the same, there’s just a week left in Dark Star Orchestra’s Fall Tour East 2012, including four tour-closing shows that are part of the big Switcheroo – Furthur’s Jeff Chimenti filling in for our own Rob Barraco, who will head out west to play with The Q. Tickets are available at DSOtix . Also check out the Cosmic New Year’s Run 2012, with shows in Baltimore and Philly before the two-night New Year’s Eve stop in Huntington, NY. All the info, including a hotel deal on Long Island, is here.

Dark Star Orchestra’s Fall Tour East 2012 kicked off last weekend with three sold-out shows in a row, giving Canada its first DSO dose with a ’76 recreation before moving to two more sell-outs in Buffalo. The reviews are off the hook and things are just gonna get stranger, so grab your tickets now and join our six guys and a girl at the annual pre-Thanksgiving Penn’s Peak extravaganza, the post-turkey NYC weekend and another two weeks of shows that include a two-night stop in DC, as well as the four shows with Furthur’s Jeff Chimenti filling in for the Phil-bound Rob Barraco. Most importantly, the entire DSO band, crew and staff wish all of our fans a safe and jubilant Holiday Season. We know what we’re most thankful for and that is YOU.

You have yet another reason to rejoice! We just released a soundboard recording of the first set of our recent October 13 performance at The Fillmore in San Francisco. The night was extremely special as Phil Lesh joined us on stage for the first time, performing on bass during the entire first set. Rob Eaton mastered the recording which is available for free streaming and download on Archive.org.

The entire Dark Star Orchestra organization wishes to recognize the exemplary commitment to ‘the music’ – and celebrate 15 years of Dark Star Orchestra. On November 11, 1997, this long strange trip began in Chicago with a dedicated and focused group of musicians that continued to evolve to the place we are today. Now having performed over 2100 shows, the band is as tight and as focused as ever, to continue to share the joy that the music of the Grateful Dead brought each and every one of us. We all thank you for enjoying the ride with us and for a decade and a half of support! And to answer the question of where we are and where we’re going – we started here (the recording of DSO’s first performance 11/11/97) to where we are going (the recording of DSO with Phil Lesh on bass).

Dark Star Orchestra and Phil Lesh have worked out what we are calling the Barraco/Chimenti Switcheroo. On December 6 - 9 DSO's Rob Barraco will join Phil Lesh, Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring and John Molo for a return of Phil Lesh and Friends...The Q! This all-star cast will perform four rare and intimate shows that will take place at Phil Lesh's new concert venue, Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael, CA. With December 5-8 being the last four nights of Dark Star Orchestra's Fall Tour, the Phil Lesh camp is sending keyboardist, Jeff Chimenti to fill in for Rob Barraco.

These special shows include: Dec 5 – The Egg in Albany, Dec 6 – State Theatre in Portland, ME, Dec 7 The Dome at Oakdale – Wallingford, CT, and Lowell Auditorium - Lowell, MA. DSO is very excited to work together with the Phil Lesh camp at this capacity and are equally excited to perform four shows with our guest keyboardist, Jeff Chimenti.

The DSO family sends its good vibes and best wishes to everyone impacted by Hurricane Sandy, hoping for a quick cleanup and recovery from this natural disaster. We can all help by going to The Red Cross or by texting "Red Cross" to 90999 to make a $10 automatic donation. We’ll do our best to bring joy to the East Coast recovery efforts when get on the road for Fall Tour East 2012, starting in Toronto next Wednesday (11/15), winding down and around the eastern seaboard before finishing up in Connecticut at the beginning of December. Some shows are already sold out, so find your tickets for the remaining shows at DSOtix.

After kicking off our Winter Tour 2013 in Minneapolis, we will continue through the Midwest with multiple stops in Wisconsin before hitting Chicago and Detroit. From there we’ll wind a trail through Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio and Western Pennsylvania, before heading southbound, hitting Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia on our way to Florida. Then we shake off the winter chill for six shows before we spin our compass toward Jamaica. Tickets for most shows are available now at DSOtix, and all the tour info is here.

As our six guys and girl continue a rip roarin’ West Coast tour, the highlight of the tour took place the second of two nights at San Francisco’s legendary Fillmore, where Phil Lesh joined DSO for the entire first set on Saturday (10/13). The set kicked off with a smokin’ “Jack Straw,” “Here Comes Sunshine” and “Feel Like A Stranger” before setting off for the stratosphere with jamming worthy of the finest of second sets. From the opening notes of “Dark Star” to the set closing “Morning Dew”>”Playing In The Band (Reprise)” the band was on fire as Phil dropped his signature bombs all over the stage. Thanks Phil!

Due to circumstances beyond our control, the Fall Tour East Peekskill, NY stop at the Paramount Center For The Arts on November 20 has been canceled. But the good news is that means DSO gets to go back to the Higher Ground in Burlington, VT, giving one of our favorite haunts a second go round in 2012! Peekskill tickets can be returned to point of purchase, and keep checking DSOtix for Burlington tickets. To stay on top of all DSO comings and goings, keep taking regular trips to the Tour Page.

There are a few rooms left for Dark Star Orchestra's inaugural book your reservation and contact Island Gigs at (888) 423-7738 for $100 back from your package purchase! All you will need to tell them is your name, or the name of the person who bought your Jubilee tickets, and you will qualify for the discount- but hurry, because this offer ends on 10/1!

Don’t forget that Fall Tour 2012 is underway, with a few weeks out west before a short break, after which we head east. Find out more details and get your tickets at DSOtix.

It’s T for Texas as the Dark Star Orchestra tour bus is gassed up and ready to head out on Fall Tour 2012, starting on the last Thursday of the month in Houston and wrapping up with two nights in Boulder in late-October. In between, our six guys and a girl hit Austin, Dallas, Santa Fe, Flagstaff, Tempe and Las Vegas, before heading to the Golden State, where there are shows in LA, Solano Beach, Nevada City, Redwood City, Napa and two nights at The Fillmore in San Francisco! If that isn’t enough, the road then leads through Reno and Salt Lake City before the grand finale in Colorado. Tickets are available for most shows here.

The first Dark Star Jubilee took place over Labor Day Weekend and even though Hurricane Isaac made an unwanted appearance, both performers and festival-goers had a great time as a group of thousands of Grateful friends pulled together to make the weekend one for the ages. After Day One – which closed with the first of three DSO shows – came off without a hitch, Isaac dropped buckets of rain on Legend Valley, rendering the Main Stage unusable. But never fear, our crack equipment crew got to work to transform the Second Stage into Main, while the VIP tent hosted the makeshift Second Stage. From there all the performances came off almost without a hitch, the notable exception being that due to equipment constraints, the Mickey Hart Band Late Night performance was morphed into a giant Drum Circle, with Mickey leading everyone on site into a spiritual realm that put the “legend” in Legend Valley. Thanks to the crew, the performers and – especially – you, the fans, who made DSO’s foray into the festival fray legendary and memorable!

Next up is Fall Tour 2012, with the West swing starting in Texas and winding through California, before winding through stops that include San Diego, L.A. and San Francisco, before finishing up in late-October in Boulder, CO. After that it’s a short break for our six guys and a girl, before they start up the East Coast part of Fall Tour in mid-November, starting with our first ever Canadian show, and making stops at Penn’s Peak, the Best Buy in New York and D.C.’s 9:30 Club. Tickets for most shows, including the recently announced Cosmic New Year’s Tour, can be found at DSOtix.

Those tents dotting the hillside at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH mean that the first Dark Star Jubilee is underway, with three Dark Star Orchestra shows only one of the highlights as 24 other bands, including the Mickey Hart Band, 7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Keller Williams, Jorma Kaukonen, The Infamous Stringdusters, Donna The Buffalo, Dumpstaphunk, Boombox, Jahman Brahman, Jeff Mattson with the Donna Jean Godchaux Band, and our very own Matt Reynolds take the stage over the next three days. You can pick up your tickets at the gate, so load the car with your choice of food and beverages (no glass bottles, please) and your family and head out to The Jubilee, where Fan-friendly security and safety teams are excited to work with you. You can use small charcoal & small propane grills at your campsite and - best of all - you can camp right in front of the stage while you take in three days of jammin' music with most of the comforts of home. There's not a second to spare, so hit the road and we'll meet you at The Jubilee !

The final preparations are underway to throw open the gates of the first ever Dark Star Jubilee at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH! Friday, August 31 at 12 Noon the first cars and RVs will roll into the site, with the first of 25 bands hitting the stage at 5:30 p.m. Rumpke and Cornmeal will warm up the opening night stage for DSO, who will be followed by Late Night performances from Boombox and Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk. Saturday gets even crazier with performances that include Keller Williams, Jorma Kaukonen, Donna Jean Godchaux Band with Jeff Mattson and a set from Matt Reynolds, before another full DSO show. And wait, there's more! Saturday ends with Late Night v.2, featuring the Mickey Hart Band and Jahman Brahman. Finally, Sunday will include 7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, The Infamous Stringdusters, Donna The Buffalo, David Gans and more, before our six guys and a girl wrap up the whole shebang with their own two-set show. You can bring your own food and beverage (no glass bottles, please) throughout the entire venue, build your camp within yards of the stage and use small charcoal & small propane grills at your campsite (as Ohio is experiencing a drought, there will be no personal open fires allowed, but we will set up communal fires throughout the grounds), and enjoy most of the comforts of home. The only thing we won’t have for you are hassles, as Fan-friendly security and safety teams are excited to work with you to make this the best festival weekend of the season. Tickets are still available on-site only, and we’ll meet you at The Jubilee !

The Dark Star Jubilee at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH starts on Friday (August 31), but there is only one day to save with advance tickets! Online sales end on Thursday at noon, so you have less than 24-hours to save $25 (Rising Star VIP), $20 (3-Day), or $10 (2-Day) off the walk-up price at the gate. The Jubilee features three full shows by DSO, along with Mickey Hart Band, 7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Keller Williams, Jorma Kaukonen, The Infamous Stringdusters, Donna The Buffalo, Dumpstaphunk, Boombox, Jahman Brahman and more, with a total of 25 bands over three days, plus you can bring your own food and beverage (no glass bottles, please) throughout the entire venue, where Fan-friendly security and safety teams are excited to work with you. You can use small charcoal & small propane grills at your campsite. As Ohio is experiencing a drought, there will be no personal open fires allowed, but we will set up communal fires throughout the grounds for you. Water will be available at multiple drinking stations, and it will also be sold in concert area stage left (please bring extra water and water bottles to fill). You will find all the details at the Dark Star Jubilee website, including directions and the full daily schedule. We’ll meet you at The Jubilee!

What better way could you while away the days between the end of August and Labor Day than at the first Dark Star Jubilee , August 31-September 2? Well, with a lineup that includes the Mickey Hart Band, 7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Keller Williams, Jorma Kaukonen, The Infamous Stringdusters, Donna The Buffalo, Dumpstaphunk, Boombox, Jahman Brahman, Jeff Mattson with the Donna Jean Godchaux Band, our very own Matt Reynolds and a list too long to include here (not to mention three full DSO shows!), this the only way for the fine-jammin’ Head to spend the last holiday weekend of the summer. By this time Friday, the gates will be open, the vendors will be vending and the stage will be humming, so gather up your family, pack your tent, food and beverages, and head to Legend Valley in Thornville, OH and get settled in for the best party of the summer. 3-Day passes, 2-Day Passes, Rising Star VIP passes and RV parking are still available here, so check out the full schedule here, plan your weekend and we’ll meet you at The Jubilee!

Members of the Dark Star Orchestra Fan Club can still save on 2-Day, 3-Day and Rising Star VIP passes for the Dark Star Jubilee , next weekend (Labor Day, August 31-September 2) at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH, but only until 5 p.m. EDT on Friday, August 24. In addition to three full DSO shows and plenty of musical friends, food and craft vendors, you can bring your own beverages, food and camping supplies right up to the concert field! You can have most of the comforts of home in front of two stages with performances that include the Mickey Hart Band, 7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Keller Williams, Jorma Kaukonen, The Infamous Stringdusters, Donna The Buffalo, Dumpstaphunk, BoomBox, Jahman Brahman and so much more. Check out the full schedule here and we’ll meet you at The Jubilee!

If what you’re going for is saving on three days of fun, music and celebration, including 23 acts, nearly 40 hours of extended sets on two rotating stages, and some surprises to keep the family happy and entertained, you need to rush to DSOTix for Fan Club discounts on the first Dark Star Jubilee , August 31-September 2 at Legend Valley (formerly Buckeye Lake) in Thornville, OH. The Jubilee brings you three full DSO shows, plus Grateful family like 7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Keller Williams, Jorma Kaukonen, The Infamous Stringdusters, Donna The Buffalo and more, including late nights with the Mickey Hart Band, Dumpstaphunk, BoomBox and Jahman Brahman and more. Buying your tickets as a member of the Fan Club will save you $10 on the GA tickets and $25 on the VIP tickets… this opportunity expires on Friday, August 24th at 5:00 pm. More info at www.darkstarjubilee.com.

The wheel is turning and before you know it, we’ll be ringing in 2013, with plenty of Dark Star Orchestra to celebrate with as the Cosmic New Year’s Run 2012 is now set. Our six guys and a girl will hit the road for four shows right after Christmas, returning to Baltimore, Philadelphia and Huntington, NY. Things kick off as the bus stops by Baltimore’s Ram’s Head Live and Philly’s Electric Factory before DSO sets up camp at the Paramount Theatre in Huntington – the site of a raging Spring Tour show – where we’ll ring in the New Year with a champagne toast and a show that delivers “cosmic” in epic proportions. Grab your ducats at DSOtix

Also, don’t forget that the Dark Star Jubilee is just two weeks away, happening August 31 and September 1 & 2 at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH (formerly Buckeye Lake), with 23 acts, nearly 40 hours of extended sets on two rotating stages, and some surprises to keep the family happy and entertained . The Jubilee is three days and nights of jamming with Grateful family like 7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Keller Williams, Jorma Kaukonen, The Infamous Stringdusters, Donna The Buffalo and more, including late nights with the Mickey Hart Band, Dumpstaphunk, BoomBox and Jahman Brahman, plus – of course – three full DSO shows. In addition to 3-Day passes and Rising Star VIP passes, there are now also 2-Day Festival Passes, and Fan Club members can still save at DSOTix. We’ll meet you at The Jubilee!

Imagine you were at a Grateful Dead Show or any other concert for that matter, and you could BYOB, liquor, cooler, food, tent and camping supplies into the concert with you and set up right in front of the stage. Well, we are not sure that this has registered with you yet, but this is precisely what you can do at the Dark Star Jubilee. You may park your car right outside the concert venue entrance, carry your stuff a few hundred yards and set up your tent in the concert field right in front of the stage. Buy your ticket, pack well and create yourself a full blown festival experience for Labor Day Weekend for the cost of a ticket and supplies. Speaking of Festival Experience, check out The Jubilee schedule here.

Happy Jerry Day! We want to take this moment to wish a very happy 70th birthday to Mr. Jerome John Garcia. In his honor, we will be celebrating the music that he helped create at our first ever Dark Star Jubilee on Labor Day Weekend. Due to some demand for two-day passes for the Jubilee we are now offering a two-day ticket option. These Saturday – Sunday tickets are on sale now to the public for $89. As a way to kick down ‘Jerry Style’ to our DSO fan club members you may purchase your tickets through DSOTix (for a limited time only) and save at each price level. So save on your tickets and get your bags packed; we’ll meet you at The Jubilee!

As the last leaves fall on the East Coast, DSO brings Fall Tour East 2012 through some familiar haunts as well as some new halls, putting Toronto, New York and DC all on the same street. The run starts with Dark Star Orchestra's first ever show on Canadian soil, a Thursday night romp at the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto. From there, our six guys and a girl keep playing on into December, including the traditional Thanksgiving Eve in Jim Thorpe, PA at Penn's Peak that leads into the holiday season celebration of two weekend nights at the Best Buy in the Big Apple, another December weekend at the 9:30 in Washington, DC (where Sen. Al Franken introduced the band last year), before ending in Lowell, MA. You can get all the dates with ticket info here.

The Dark Star Jubilee is coming up around the bend, Labor Day Weekend (August 31, September 1-2) at Legend Valley (formerly Buckeye Lake) in Thornville, OH, and we want you, our most loyal fans, to save when you get your Jubilee passes from DSOtix. You can save up to $10 on a three-day festival pass and $25 on VIP passes which include late nights with Mickey Hart Band, Dumpstathunk, Boom Box and Jahman Brahman, after days of the field filled with dancing to 7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Keller Williams, Jorma Kaukonen, The Infamous Stringdusters, Donna The Buffalo and even more of our Grateful friends. The Jubilee is family event with food and craft vendors, kids’ activities, water stations, , medical support, well-maintained port-a-johns and more. So come on along and check out the discounted passes just for DSO Fan Club Members. We’ll meet you at The Jubilee!

In a last-minute venue change, the free show in Charleston, WV tonight, Friday, July 13, has been moved from Haddad Riverfront Park to Municipal Auditorium, 224 Virginia Street East, Charleston, WV 25301. In addition, showtime has been moved to 7:00 p.m., with doors opening at 6:00. Remember, this is the place to keep up with all the DSO tour dates, as well as ticket info and, of course, the latest news on the Dark Star Jubilee. We’ll meet you at The Jubilee!

The Dark Star Jubilee is creepin’ round the corner into Legend Valley in Thornville, OH,, August 31 and September 1 and 2, and with less than two months to go we’re proud to announce our Late Night Acts! Keeping you dancin’ through to daylight, we’ve got not only DSO, but also the Mickey Hart Band, Dumpstathunk, Boom Box and Jahman Brahman to fill the air with songs. And that’s after full days of sets from our friends including 7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Keller Williams, Jorma Kaukonen, The Infamous Stringdusters, Donna The Buffalo and more.

Advance Tier 1 3-Day tix are almost sold out, with the current price – until Friday, July 13 at 5 PM - $30 less than you’d pay at the gate. Early Bird VIP 3-Day tix are also almost gone, and are $50 off the gate price of $199 until Friday. So head on out for a Labor Day weekend at Legend Valley where we’ll throw a bolt of inspiration to spark your imagination and cause instant excitation when we meet you at The Jubilee!

As the band keeps playing on into the Midwest, Dark Star Orchestra has added two shows to the September-October portion of Fall Tour 2012! We’re pleased to confirm that the rumored show in Nevada City, CA is indeed fact, with the date set for Wednesday, October 10 at Miner’s Foundry. In addition, the band will make a two night stop in Boulder, CO to end the tour, as The Boulder Theatre will never stop rockin’ ‘til the moon goes down on Friday, October 19 and Saturday, October 20. DSOtix has your ducats for these and most shows.

Of course, before get to the Fall, we still have over 20 shows left on the Meet Me At The Jubilee Summer Tour 2012, ending at the Dark Star Jubilee, a family-friendly 3-day celebration of music and good vibes at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH. The Jubilee brings you three full shows by DSO, along with sets from extended Grateful family, including the Mickey Hart Band, 7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Keller Williams, Jorma Kaukonen, and our very own Matt Reynolds taking his turn in front of the crowd. All the info is here, with three-day passes selling fast but still available here. We’ll meet you at The Jubilee!

DSO kicked off the first leg of the Meet Me At The Jubilee Summer Tour 2012 on Thursday night in Denver, with a smokin’ recreation of an ’83 Red Rocks set that left the crowd tired, sweaty, smiling, and anxiously speculating on what shows and eras the band would break out over the rest of the weekend in Colorado. One hint we can offer is that on Sunday night – after the benefit at Left Hand Brewing in Longmont and Saturday’s early bird special in Steamboat Springs (6 p.m. start!) – DSO will treat the crowd at the State Bridge Lodge in Bond to a legendary 3-set show that features one acoustic set and two full electrics. We won’t reveal the date, but can assure you the psychedelic quotient of this show gives true meaning to the word “electric!” Tickets for most shows are here, and don’t forget to check out the Dark Star Jubilee page, with all the info on our inaugural Labor Day weekend festival that sets the bar for all the ones that follow. Join us on the road this summer and we’ll meet you at The Jubilee!

While we all send good vibes out to the people affected by the fires in Colorado, DSO has moved its June 29 show – originally scheduled for the Mishawaka Amphitheatre in the impacted area of Bellvue, CO – to Longmont, CO in order to partner with Left Hand Brewing Company and Shaped Music on a benefit to raise money for local agencies fighting the fires and offering relief to displaced residents. Dark Star & Cold Brews will take place June 29, the same night of the originally scheduled Mish show, at the Left Hand Brewing Company at 1265 Boston Avenue, with all profit from tickets, beer, food and merch going to the Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Department and the Northern Colorado Chapter of the Red Cross. You can get tickets here until 8 a.m. June 29th, after which tickets will only be sold at the door. Tickets previously purchased for the Mishawaka Amphitheatre will be honored at this show or can be returned to point of purchase. Internet and phone order purchasers will need to send an email to info@themishawaka.com. Check out the Tour Page for more info, plus all the dates on the Meet Me At The Jubilee Summer Tour 2012, along with ticket info for all shows.

DSO announced the first leg of Fall Tour 2012 today, a ride that starts in Texas, swings through the southwest, then heads for the burnin’ shore, playing everywhere from Solano Beach to Napa, including a two-night stop at The Fillmore in San Francisco. Talk about some long, long, crazy, crazy nights! Tickets for most shows on Fall Tour 2012, as well as the Meet Me At The Jubilee Summer Tour, are available here.

The summer tour’s road leads to Labor Day weekend and the very first Dark Star Jubilee; three nights – August 31-September 2 – of full shows by DSO, along with a long list of very special guests including the Mickey Hart Band, 7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Keller Williams, JormaKaukonen, The Infamous Stringdusters, Donna The Buffalo and many, many more, including our own Matt Reynolds, stepping out to the front of the stage! We are working diligently to put together a fan and family friendly campout and festival that you won’t want to miss. We have recently posted much more information here, including several camping options, family camping and ADA registration, our provisions for making your weekend a pleasant one, VIP perks, re-entry policies etc… grab yourself a here and we will meet you at the Jubilee!

The passing of Memorial Day is only a harbinger of how fast the Dark Star Jubilee is approaching, with the dates set for Labor Day weekend, August 31-September 2 at Legend Valley (formerly the Buckeye Lake Amphitheatre) in Thornville, OH. The lineup features a lot of the DSO and Dead Family, starting with three full shows by our six guys and a girl, plus perfomances from the Mickey Hart Band and 7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann and many more, and we’re going all out to make this the most family-friendly festival for your crew, too.

The family approach starts with a variety of camping options, including tent camping in the venue, car camping, VIP camping, RV camping, family camping and ADA camping. In addition, there will be plenty of vendors – both food and crafts – as well a full supply of serviced port-a-johns, water stations, a medical unit shower trailers and a children’s activities. Also, no glass bottles will be allowed on site, adding to the safe and entertaining environment, whether the music is playing or not. We do ask, for their safety as well as all festival goers’, that you leave your pets at home or board them at a local kennel. You can find all the details here. There are still 3-Day Passes, Rising Star VIP passes and RV parking passes available here .

Of course, the golden road to The Jubilee is paved with the Meet Me At The Jubilee Summer Tour 2012, starting June 28 in Denver and continuing until August 11. Tickets for those shows are available now at DSOtix. While you’re at it, don’t forget that there is still very limited space to join us for the first Dark Star JAM IN THE SAND at the adults only Breezes Resort in Negril, Jamaica, March 1-5, and keep checking back for the Fall tour schedule, coming soon.

As Spring Tour East winds into its last ten days, you’ll find a fresh set of shows now available at DSO On Demand to sing you back home and rock your soul until the late-June kickoff of the Meet Me At The Jubilee Summer Tour. On the menu this time are a stellar group of shows from the end of 2011, starting with the magical night in DC when Senator Al Franken got on the Dark Star Orchestra bus, introducing the band to open the second set. You’ll also find shows from Concord, NH, Bridgeport, Albany, Portland, ME, plus two shows from the epic New Year’s run. All this and much, much more is all here.

While Spring Tour is almost over, our six guys and a girl are packing a lot of shows into it, starting with Englewood, NJ and going on to Princeton, Tarrytown, Philadelphia, Brooklyn, Jim Thorpe, Boston and Hampton Beach, before the band and crew heads home to rest up for a most ambitious summer. There will be plenty of festivals on tap, including GOTV and All Good, ending – of course – with the Dark Star Jubilee, August 31-September 2. Tickets for most of the Spring and Summer shows are still available, and you can just click here to meet us at The Jubilee.

Dark Star Orchestra got the East portion of Spring Tour rollin’ down the track in fine, elective style in Burlington on Monday night – including a psychedelic “Strawberry Fields” jam in the second set – before sliding into the ’90s on Night Two and visiting the ’70s in a smokin’ night in New Hampshire. The journey continues this weekend in New Haven, Huntington, NY, and Oneanta before Terrapin Nation hits Teaneck, followed by a swing through Virginia leading back to Tuxedo, NY for next week’s Mighty High Festival. Then our six guys and a girl hit the Northeast and New England hard, making sure to visit all their friends in the region. Pick up your tickets here.

Of course, all this ultimately leads to the first Dark Star Jubilee, August 31-September 2 at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH. It’s gonna be a high time, with two revolving stages featuring three nights of DSO, plus visits from Mickey Hart Band and 7 Walkers with Bill Kreutzmann, plus Keller Williams, Jorma Kaukonen, The Infamous Stringdusters, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Donna The Buffalo many, many more. Early bird passes are going fast, so the time to save is limited. All the information, plus the deal on Rising Star VIP Experience and vending news is all right here. We’ll meet you at The Jubilee!

Spring Tour East starts Monday (5/7) in Burlington, VT with two nights at the Higher Ground, then DSO’s next travels continues up and down the East Coast in all the hot spots, including New Haven, Long Island, Princeton, Philadelphia, Jim Thorpe and Boston, with a Mexicali sighting of Terrapin Nation and special acoustic sets along the way, One of which comes on the first of three nights at the Mighty High Mountain Fest at Tuxedo Ridge, where will be joined by a lot of friends, including Railroad Earth, George Porter, Jr. and NRPS. For all the dates and ticket info, go to DSOtix.

Once Spring Tour East is over, we’re on the Golden Road to the inaugural Dark Star Jubilee , at Legend Valley (formerly Buckeye Lake) in Thornville, OH on Labor Day Weekend, August 31-September 2! DSO, playing three full shows over three nights, is joined by an amazing group of friends that includes Mickey Hart Band, 7 Walkers with Bill Kreutzmann, Keller Williams, Jorma Kaukonen, Infamous Stringdusters, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphun and too many more to mention here. A very limited amount of Early Bird passes are still available, along with Rising Star VIP and RV Parking passes, which you’ll find here. Also, vendor info is finally available! You’ll also want to plan some stops on the 24-show Summer Tour 2012, and you’ll find your tickets here.

The benefit show that Rob Eaton put together to pay tribute to his bandmate from his early-career Border Legion, lead guitarist Dave Tarlowe, is coming up Saturday, May 5 at Mexicali Live. Tarlowe passed away last year as a result of a fierce bout with cancer.

To pay tribute to his friend, Eaton has assembled an all-star lineup that includes Border Legion bandmates Tom "Skip" Vangelas (bass) and Jimmy Monia (drums), as well as DSO's Jeff Mattson, Rob Barraco and Lisa Mackey. Having that crew on board guarantees the night will be a celebration of Tarlowe's life, featuring a stellar night of Border Legion music.

Net proceeds will be donated to the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice Foundation, a not for profit organization that helped Dave and many others pass on with peace. For tickets, go here.

The Dark Star Jubilee , set for Labor Day Weekend (August 31 - September 2), will feature three days and nights of friends, family, camping, over 20 bands, nearly 40 hours of music, no overlapping sets, and a whole lot more! In addition to three full shows by Dark Star Orchestra we’ve just announced our very Special Guests, including the Mickey Hart Band, 7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Keller Williams, Jorma Kaukonen, Infamous Stringdusters, Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk, Donna the Buffalo, Donna Jean Godchaux Band w/Jeff Mattson, Perpetual Groove, BoomBox, Cornmeal, Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad, David Gans, Jahman Brahman, Rumpke Mountain Boys, The Spikedrivers and more to be announced!

For info on tickets, including the Early Bird 3-Day Festival Pass that’s available now, can be found here. For everything else Jubilee, including VIP’s, RV’s, and Vendors, go here, and we’ll meet you at the Jubilee!

That epic band that started this millennium off right is getting back together for a few shows in an intimate environment. The Phil Lesh 'Quintet' featuring Rob Barraco, Warren Haynes, Jimmy Herring, & John Molo will perform at Terrapin Crossroads in San Rafael April 26-29. For more info visit this site .

With some of the festivals already announced, it’s time to tell you about Dark Star Orchestra’s Meet Me At The Jubilee Summer Tour 2012, an over two-month trek that guarantees you’ll want to hit the road and won’t be back ‘til the fall. Starting with a Colorado weekend to take June into July – including night one in Denver, followed by a return to The Mish in Bellvue – the DSO bus will be rolling across the country making stops in Apple Valley, MN, Chicago, Harrisburg and Dewey Beach, winding up on Labor Day Weekend in Thornville, OH at Legend Valley for the very first Dark Star Jubilee. The Jubilee may be our last festival of the summer, but it sure won’t be the first, as our six guys and a girl will make stops at the Mighty High Mountain Fest, Philly’s Jam On The River, GOTV, All Good Music Festival, and The Allman Brothers Band’s Peach Music Festival in Scranton.

Tickets for most of these shows are on sale now via DSOtix. To meet us on the run until that Jubilee do come, check out the full tour listing here. You'll also want to watch that page for a Steamboat Springs venue change, giving us more time to play!

With Dark Star Orchestra’s Spring Tour West launching this Thursday, March 29, DSO has its official start to Festival Season on the last night of tour, April 14, at the McDowell Mountain Music Festival in Phoenix, and that’s only the beginning! May will bring the next two festivals, with our six guys and a girl heading to Tuxedo, NY May 18-20 for the Mighty High Mountain Fest, followed just a week later, May 27, by a trip to Philly for Jam On The River. Then, with some festies in between that we just can’t mention yet, DSO finds itself in Thornville, OH on July 21 for a short (by DSO standards) set at the All Good Music Festival at the Legend Valley Campground, only to return for three full shows as part of the Dark Star Jubilee on Labor Day weekend. There are a lot more festivals – not to mention the shows in between – coming, so keep checking here for details. And don’t forget that we’re also at DSOtix. to serve most of your ticketing needs.

With Dark Star Orchestra’s Spring Tour West launching this Thursday, March 29, DSO has its official start to Festival Season on the last night of tour, April 14, at the McDowell Mountain Music Festival in Phoenix, and that’s only the beginning! May will bring the next two festivals, with our six guys and a girl heading to Tuxedo, NY May 18-20 for the Mighty High Mountain Fest, followed just a week later, May 27, by a trip to Philly for Jam On The River. Then, with some festies in between that we just can’t mention yet, DSO finds itself in Thornville, OH on July 21 for a short (by DSO standards) set at the All Good Music Festival at the Legend Valley Campground, only to return for three full shows as part of the Dark Star Jubilee on Labor Day weekend. There are a lot more festivals – not to mention the shows in between – coming, so keep checking here for details. And don’t forget that we’re also at DSOtix. to serve most of your ticketing needs.

DSO rhythm guitarist Rob Eaton started his career playing in the northern New Jersey band Border Legion, along with – among others – lead guitarist Dave Tarlowe, who passed away last year as a result of a fierce bout with cancer. As a tribute to his fallen friend, Eaton has called on former Border Legion band mates Tom "Skip" Vangelas (bass) and Jimmy Monia (drums), as well as his current cohorts Jeff Mattson, Rob Barraco and Lisa Mackey, to perform a benefit on Saturday, May 5 at Mexicali Live, the successor to Mexicali Blues Café – a club that was synonymous with Border Legion – in Teaneck, NJ. All net proceeds from this event will be donated to the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice Foundation, a not for profit organization that helped Dave and many others pass on with peace. So come join some of Dave's former band mates plus some special friends as they celebrate his life with a night of Border Legion music. You can find tickets and all the info here.

It's always a special night when Terrapin Nation takes the stage, and it will happen again on Monday, May 14, with an intimate club show at Mexicali Live in Teaneck, NJ. In a rare appearance as Terrapin Nation, our six guys and girl will bring out a mother lode of rare and different tunes, reeling and rocking one of our favorite hideouts on the east coast. All the important info, including tickets, can be found here.

It just wouldn’t be a DSO summer without a campout in Ohio, so we’re pleased to announce the Dark Star Jubilee, August 31-September 2, 2012, at the Legend Valley Campground (formerly the Buckeye Lake Music Center) in Thornville, OH. Our six guys and a girl will celebrate the end of summer with three nights of DSO, as well as plenty of vendors, on-site camping, and two alternating stages featuring an incredible lineup of bands, including some of our favorite Grateful Family members, all in one of the most beautiful concert settings in the U.S. Keep checking back here in the coming weeks for major artist announcements and ticket info, and get ready to shake it up with Dark Star Orchestra when we meet you at the Dark Star Jubilee on Labor Day Weekend!

We can finally take the wraps off the Philadelphia show on SPRING TOUR EAST, and reveal that it is Jam On The River, a festival event on the RiverStage at Penn's Landing! DSO's six guys and a girl will be joined by Keller Williams and The Wailers for an all day affair that kicks off at 3 p.m. and ends with two full sets of Dark Star Orchestra. Public sale is not until next week, but you - our fellow travelers - can get your tickets now at DSOtix.

The Boston show on SPRING TOUR EAST, scheduled for Friday, June 1 at House Of Blues, has been moved to The Wilbur Theatre on the same date. All tickets purchased for House Of Blues will be honored at the Wilbur. We apologize for any inconvenience. For all the dates and ticket info, go to DSOtix.

Strangers Helping Strangers, an organization committed to providing assistance with day-to-day items for those in need, will be joining us on SPRING TOUR EAST. At this time, SHS is set to have donation stations at the shows in Burlington, Plymouth, New Haven, Huntington, Oneonta, Englewood, Princeton, Tarrytown, Brooklyn, Jim Thorpe, Boston and Hampton Beach. Please bring a non-perishable food, toiletry, feminine/personal hygiene or baby product donation to any of these upcoming shows - it would go a long way. For all the dates and ticket info, go to DSOtix.

The response to our inaugural Early Bird savings: book now and save $100 per person or $200 per room!

This Extra Early-Bird Tier 2 Package is only available for a limited time, so make that Valentine of yours smile bigger than ever this year and reserve a room at here to secure your place at this intimate Jamaican excursion – happening at the Breezes Grand Resort in Negril, Jamaica March 1 – 5, 2013.

We're extremely excited to announce that Dark Star Orchestra and our dear friend Keller Williams are teaming up with Island Gigs who will be hosting our first Jamaican JAM IN THE SAND at the adults only (all-inclusive) Breezes Grand Resort in Negril, Jamaica, March 1 - 5, 2013.

Your days will be spent on the beach enjoying everything the resort has to offer and the nights will be spent under the stars with Dark Star Orchestra.

With memories of 2011 still swirling in our heads, we can still listen to the music play via DSO On Demand. Our fresh-out-of-the-oven releases are highlighted by way too many face melting moments to count, but special notice goes the November night in Ithaca (11/19/11) our six guys and a girl celebrated DSO's 2,000th show in original style. Or feel the energy of 30,000 fans in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park come back to the stage as DSO celebrates Hardly Strictly Bluegrass with a recreation of the historic 9/28/75 show originally performed on almost the very same spot! There are also shows from the Thanksgiving Garden Party Weekend and eras to fit every taste, from the '60s to the '90s with a generous dose of original setlists. You'll find them all here. What else would you listen to while you head out on Southbound Winter Tour?

As spring winds down and turns into summer, we’ll be taking the DSO bus on SPRING TOUR EAST, starting with two nights at the Higher Ground in Burlington, VT, and truckin’ on through the beginning of June. In between, the circus comes to town in New Haven, Princeton, Englewood, Brooklyn, Boston and Alexandria, makes a stop Paramount Theater in Huntingdon, NY and sets up camp for three days at the Mighty High Mountain Fest at Tuxedo Ridge, including one acoustic set. For all the dates and ticket info, go to DSOtix.

While DSO’s musical seeds may be silent for the month of January, come February 1 they’ll burst into bloom as the Dark Star Orchestra bus rolls into Minneapolis for the first show of the Southbound Winter Tour 2012! This ambitious five-week run takes our six guys and a girl on a 25-show trek making stops in Chicago (two shows, including a special Terrapin Nation show at Martyr’s), Detroit, Cleveland and Nashville, and winding up in Ft. Lauderdale in the beginning of March. After that it’s off to Europe for Jam In The Dam and one show London. Check out all the dates on the Tour Dates Page

While Dark Star Orchestra anxiously awaits the February Southbound Winter Tour, it will also sadly mark the last run for DSO Merchandiser Extraordinaire, Ellie. She is the smiling face that has helped you pick out the just-exactly-perfect t-shirt or hoodie for the last year, and while we're excited for her that she's going to spend more time with her family, we're most sorry to see her go. If you have some merchandising experience, a solid work ethic, a great attitude and are willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen every day on the road, send your inquiries and resumes to Jack Barton (jack@walther-productions.com).

DSO closed out 2011 and kicked off the New Year with its annual Cosmic New Years run, a series of four shows that blew the roofs off of three venues packed with near capacity crowds.

Pulling into Montclair, NJ and the Wellmont Theatre for the last two days of the year, the band followed 12/30’s acoustic/electric/electric elective with a New Year’s Eve show that reached across GD eras, with the first set coming from the ‘60s (Vallejo, CA 2/21/69) and the second from the ‘70s (Santa Barbara, 6/4/78, Set 1), finally ringing in 2012 with the second set from 7/18/89’s Alpine Valley show. With too many highlights to mention, one that merits citing is DSO taking a minute to ring in the New Year between songs, launching 2012 with a smokin’ ‘80s-style “Eyes Of The World” that still has the audience spinning.

As the six guys and a girl take a month to patch their bones, rest assured everyone in Dark Star Orchestra wishes every fan who makes the tours possible a happy and prosperous 2012, and they can’t wait to see you all back on the road!

We're thrilled to announce our SPRING TOUR WEST - a brief two-week swing through some of our favorite western states - once we return from shows at the Jam in the Dam Festival & in London. The Spring Tour West looks like one epic segue of a fantastic show:

Lots of excitement is building for our final shows of 2011 at Cosmic New Year's Eve: two nights at the Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, NJ. We'll be performing three sets each night and on NYE, taking on a set from each decade of the 60s, 70s and 80s. We hope you can make it!

Last night at the 9:30 Club in Washington D.C., Minnesota Senator Al Franken introduced Dark Star Orchestra - using some of his trademark hilarious banter that brought the original Grateful Dead on stage in 1980 during their Radio City Music Hall run.

Partnering with Strangers Helping Strangers, DSO is asking for your assistance to help those in need in the local communities where we are playing. If you're able to bring a non-perishable food, toiletry, feminine/personal hygiene or baby product donation to any of these upcoming shows - it would go a long way. Donation stations are going to be set up at these shows:

Following our 2,000th show celebration last weekend our Fly Through The Night tour rolls on with a pre-Thanksgiving gigs tonight at The State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ and tomorrow at Penn's Peak in Jim Thorpe, PA. This coming weekend we head to the Big Apple to dance off the tryptophan at The Best Buy Theater for our Garden Party Weekend where we will be Playing a Classic Grateful Dead Show from the Famed Madison Square Garden on Friday and Saturday night. We follow that up with a special Acoustic Show at Bearsville Theater in Woodstock, NY. The rest of the tour winds around the east coast with stops in Pittsburgh, Charlottesville, 2 nights in DC, Concrod, NH, Providence RI, Bridgeport, CT, Albany, NY and Portland, ME.

On a dark and stormy night 14 years ago we played our first show as Dark Star Orchestra. As we prepare to celebrate our 2,000th show in a few days we are taking a moment to reflect on what a long strange trip its been while gazing at the open highway that lay in front of us. We have been on what seems to be one continuous wild and adventurous tour since Martyr's in 1997. That road has carried us from Japan to Amsterdam and to all but two states in the union. Along the way we have been fortunate to receive immense love and support from our fans. We are proud to share the music with all of you and hope to keep the wheels rolling for many years to come....thank you so much for being a part of it!

To add to our trip to Europe next Spring we are excited to announce that we will be playing a gig in London at The Garage on Sunday, March 18th. For this special show we will be recreating a historic London show in it's entirety from the Grateful Dead's Europe '72 Tour. Click HERE for more info.

That show will cap off our Eurotrip that also includes 3 nights in Amsterdam at the Melkweg for Jam in the Dam VI. Check out more info on Jam in the Dam HERE.

We will celebrate our 2,000th show at the State Theatre in Ithaca, NY On Saturday, November 19th. Thanks to all of you who helped us reach this tremendous milestone. We couldn’t have made it this far without the love and support of our fans and we hope you can join us on this monumental night! Tickets on sale now via DSOtix.

Not long after dancing off the turkey in NYC we will welcome in 2012 with a 4 night east coast NYE run. Stops include Baltimore on 12/28, Philadelphia on 12/29 (recreating a 3 set show including acoustic and electric sets) and 2 nights in Montclair, NJ. On the 30th we will play a special 3 set show that will kick off with an acoustic set. Then, on NYE we will bid good night to 2011 with a GD decade retrospective, recreating a classic set from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.

Tickets to the 28th and 29th are available now via DSOtix.

Tickets for the 30th are available HERE and NYE tickets are available HERE

We’ve made more great downloads available through DSO’s OnDemand catalog, covering our Spring tour. From March 31 through May 14, through Four Winds West and Into the Sun, we’ve picked 15 shows – that’s over 60 hours of live Dark Star Orchestra – from us, to you. Do a little music shopping HERE.

Come dance off the turkey and trimmings with us in the Big Apple on November 25th and 26th as we drop into the Best Buy Theatre in Times Square. For these two special shows we will be recreating a classic show from the famed
Madison Square Garden. With over 20 years of Grateful Dead shows to pull from you will have to be there to share in the magic.

We wanted to share this news with our DSO family and community: Last night, Lisa Mackey’s mother passed away…She was able to spend time w her mom before she passed peacefully. Instead of sending flowers, for those interested, you could send a donation on behalf of BertiLOU Mackey to:

On Saturday November 19th we will reach a new milestone in the history of Dark Star Orchestra. Our 2000th show! Join us at The State Theatre in Ithaca for this epic occasion. We are excited to celebrate in a city so rich in both Grateful Dead and DSO lore as it was home to the legendary 5/8/77 Barton Hall show which DSO recreated on the 30th anniversary, 5/8/2007, which was declared Grateful Dead Day in the town of Ithaca.

Join us as we close out 2011 with an epic east coast run of shows. On December 28 we drop into Rams Head Live in Baltimore, MD to kick things off in Charm City. From there we bring the love to our brothers and sisters in Philadelphia at the Electric Factory with a Recreation of a Classic 3 Set show including acoustic and electric sets. Then we close things out with two nights at the Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, NJ. On the 30th we will play a 3 Set Show kicking off with a an Acoustic Set. Our Cosmic NYE Celebration will feature Dark Star Orchestra Spanning the Decades... A 3-Set Show Recreating Classic Sets from the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s.

Tickets to the 28th and 29th are available now via DSOtix.

Tickets for the 30th are available HERE and NYE tickets are available HERE

Roll Call! Please RSVP on Facebook and let us know we will see your shining face on our Cosmic NYE Run.

Happy Birthday to our beloved Jerry! As Summer rolls on we are excited to announce our Fly Through the Night Fall Tour. With stops all over the east coast from Virginia to Maine we've got you covered with 2 night stands inold haunts like NYC and DC along with trips to some new venues the Fly Through the Night Fall tour will be a great ride.

Just in time for the start of the season, we’d like to announce our Last Rose of Summer Tour, which begins in September, and takes us through the warm sun of the Southwest. The Hearts of Summer Tour opens Friday with the inaugural show at Buffalo Place, and includes 3 nights in a row at Gratefulfest, where swimming and diving and fireworks and camping are woven together with music from some of our favorite acts including Keller Williams, Railroad Earth, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Rusted Root, Donna Jean Band, BoomBox, and more. Please visit our tour page for details on all and sundry.

In August, we face our own Last Frontier of the Continental U.S. Yes, Dark Star Orchestra will be taking the long jump up the Klondike Coast: Anchorage, Denali, and Fairbanks, Alaska, playing Midnight Moonlight in the Land of the Midnight Sun. Visit the Tour Page for details. Better yet, build your foreign policy experience and come visit us there.

The next installment of great live downloads is up and available through our DSO OnDemand catalog. Would you like to own an acoustic show with rarely played songs (Mexicali Live 3/8)? Maybe you’d prefer an original set list (Ferguson Hall 2/12, The National 3/4), or a great one-drummer show from 1974 (Neighborhood Theater 2/5), or a classic from Spring ’77 (Egyptian Room 1/29). They’re all there – check them out here.

Our tour kicks off tomorrow with a sold-out show at Irving Plaza. If you have tickets, we can’t wait to see you there! If you don’t, don’t worry – we’ll be playing all over the north east including Westbury, NY just a few days later. This run takes us all over the Northeast from Pennsylvania through New Hampshire – and a few more times in New York. Check out our tour page for details.

Check out the new additions to the DSOonDemand catalog! We have released last year's epic NYE show that included a rare acoustic set before recreating the GD show 12/31/76. Plus we are dropping some gems from the 2011 Southbound Winter tour including: 1/22 in Chicago, 1/26 in Detroit, 1/27 in Cleveland and 1/21 in Milwaukee.

We are stoked to announce the beginnings of another epic Gratefulfest. This year will feature 4 days and 3 nights of DSO plus sets from some of our favorite acts including Keller Williams, Railroad Earth, 7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann and Papa Mali, New Riders of the Purple Sage, Cornmeal, BoomBox, Donna Jean Band, David Gans and more. Tickets are only $95 and can be purchased through our fan club.

We hope you can join us as we celebrate 12 years at everyone’s favorite quarry, Nelson Ledges!

SOUND CHECK RECEPTION WITH CONCERT TICKETS: $100.00
Includes Sound Check party 6:00 – 8:00 with finger foods and drinks, along with concert ticket (All but $55 is a charitable contribution)
To order Reception and Concert Tickets call 415-561-3135 or download the ticket order form HERE.
Concert tickets are on-sale online HERE.
Hope to see you there!
For more information on the Rex Foundation, click HERE.

We are excited to head back to Marvin’s Mountaintop for another year of the All Good Music Festival. This is one of our favorite festivals around and we hope you can join us this year along with Furthur, Primus, moe., Umphrey’s McGee, John Butler Trio, Yonder Mountain String Band, Keller Williams and many more!

We are stoked to return to Nelson’s Ledges for another festive 4th of July weekend July 1-4 in Garretsville, OH. There will be 3 full nights of DSO, plus set by: 7 Walkers featuring Bill Kreutzmann, Railroad Earth, Boombox, New Riders, David Gans & many
more Grateful guests to be added very soon. Stay tuned for more to come!

Our next tour kicks off at The National in Richmond, VA Friday night as we start a short east coast tour. From Richmond its on to The Tarrytown Music Hall in Tarrytown, NY and Reading, PA before a special acoustic performance in Teaneck, NJ at Mexicali Blues.
Then we will drop into the Union Arts Center in Rahway, NJ for our first ever show there before closing out the run with shows at The State Theatre in Falls Church, Maryland Theatre in Hagerstown, MD and the tour finale of The Town Ballroom in Buffalo, NY.

Check out our Tour Dates Page for all the details and our Tour Blog for updates from the band on the road.

We are thrilled to announce our "Into The Sun" tour with dates around the northeast. The tour includes a recreation of 4/29/71 at Irving Plaza on 4/29 celebrating the 40 year anniversary of The Grateful Dead's final Fillmore East Performance and a rare Acoustic show on 5/15 closing out the tour with two-nights at Mighty Mountain Fest. For each date we will be taking your votes for the Encore/Filler at every show.

DSO is once again working with Strangers Helping Strangers to run a food drive at our Atlanta show on 2/4 for those in need in the local community. Please bring a non-perishable food, toiletry, feminine or personal hygiene or baby product donation to the show. Together we can make a difference - one concert at a time.

Check out the newly launched DSO Tour Blog. Band members will be posting regularly while on tour. They will be sharing some insight into life on the road, making comments about their shows, and speaking about random things on their mind. Our maiden post is now up from Rob Barraco.

The tour kicks off tomorrow in Des Moines, IA and makes stops throughout the midwest including Chicago, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Detroit and Cleveland. From there we are Florida bound with stops along the way in Atlanta, Charlotte, Charleston and Birmingham. Closing out the tour in the ‘Sunshine State’, we will drop in to Jacksonville, Orlando and Tampa.

Tickets for most of these shows are available through DSOticketing. Everyone who buys a ticket from our fanclub site will be able to download a special live sampler from 2010 that also includes a studio recording of our original song, ‘Run Mary’, written by Robert Hunter.

The Wakarusa Festival has added Dark Star Orchestra to their stacked lineup for a weekend of music in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. DSO will perform a late-night set on June 4 - so check out their website for complete lineup and information! Tickets are available now.

12/31 - Dark Star Orchestra will be recreating the Legendary 'Live at the Cow Palace' show from 12/31/76 plus DSO will kick off the evening with a rare acoustic set. You will not want to miss this one!!

GA tix include admission, party favors and champagne toast

Limited VIP packages are available and include premium reserved seating, access to a private VIP bar, exclusive show poster, party favors, and a champagne toast.

Click HERE for VIP NYE tix

12/30 - Dark Star Orchestra will be performing 3 sets kicking things off with a special Terrapin Nation set

Click HERE to get your tickets today...

With DSO ringing in 2011 at The Klein on 12/30 and 12/31, we've partnered up with our friends at The Fairfield Theatre Company who are doing a weekly giveaway of DSO and Grateful Dead related merchandise each week up until the show. Visit and 'like' their Facebook Page and check each Wednesday to enter to win some great prizes, including a rare, limited edition Dark Star Orchestra poster and more!

Discounted hotel rooms are available for the 12/30 show. For rooms please call the Holiday Inn in Bridgeport, CT at 203.334.1234 and ask them for the $79 FTC Rate, by mentioning Dark Star Orchestra. The on line code for rooms is DSO if you want to reserve them that way. Our room block for 12/31 is sold out, but we found a few other options we wanted to share with you so you can still join in the party on New Years Eve!

Just in time to warm you up this winter season we have 14 new shows now available on our Livedownloads Site. Culled from the shows this past summer and fall you can check out performances from many of this years tour highlights including our sets from All Good, Mountain Jam, A Bear's Picnic and even a special secret show recorded at a top secret location in the Pennsylvania forest.

Check out our Livedownloads Site for these and other great shows from the DSO on Demand catalog.

Left Coast beware! DSO is coming to a ‘City Near You’... Each night of our upcoming tour we will be performing a Grateful Dead show from a city near to the venue. With all the GD history out west anything is possible so join us as we recreate the magic!. Tour highlights include 2 nights in San Fran and San Diego which will feature a special acoustic show! Along the way we will cover most of California including: LA, Sacramento and Anaheim plus shows in Las Vegas and Crystal Bay, NV, Tempe and Flagstaff AZ, Salt Lake City and a ‘Mile High’ tour closer show at The Fillmore in Denver.

Tomorrow in Grand Rapids, MN we will kick off our next tour through the Midwest. Along the way we are accepting fan votes for our Filler/Encore every night of the tour. Visit our TOUR DATES PAGE to vote and enter for a chance to win tickets to the show!

In Halloween news, we will host a costume contest at set break at The Cannery Ballroom in Nashville. Band members will judge costumes and award merchandise prize packages for best costume, best group, and sexiest costume. Plus, legend of bluegrass, Jesse McReynolds, will join us for a special appearance during the show!

We're delighted to inform you that on Halloween in Nashville we're going to have a very special guest, one of the legends of bluegrass, Jesse McReynolds. And if you're wondering why, check out his brand new CD, "Songs of the Grateful Dead", a tribute to Robert Hunter and Jerry Garcia.

In a couple of weeks we will load up the bus to hit the road for the Wings A Mile Long Tour. As a special treat for our fans we are going to let you vote on our last song of each show for every night of the tour. Visit our TOUR DATES PAGE to place your votes. Everyone who votes will be entered to win a pair of tickets to the show they vote on.

Also, our New Years Run just got a little better with the addition of a show on 12/28 at The Wellmont Theatre in Montclair, NJ. Tickets for all four shows are onsale now via DSOtix. Visit our TOUR DATES PAGE for complete details.

DSO will close out 2010 with a show at Penn's Peak in Northeast PA, and celebrate New Year's Eve with a pair of shows December 30, 31 at The Klein in Bridgeport, CT. In an effort to keep ticket prices low and affordable, GA tickets for New Year's Eve are available for $39. There will also be a limited number of VIP tickets available for $75 which include premium reserved seating, access to a private VIP bar, an exclusive show poster, party favors, and a champagne toast.

Tickets are on-sale now through our fan-club ticketing and discounted hotel rooms are available. For rooms please call the Holiday Inn in Bridgeport, CT at 203.334.1234 and ask them for the FTC rate of $79 and no tax, this is a special rate set up w The Klein for these DSO shows.

Click HERE to get your NYE tickets today...

The members of Dark Star Orchestra are thrilled to announce the recording and release of an original song written with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter called "Run Mary." The upbeat song features combined vocals from Rob Barraco, Lisa Mackey and Rob Eaton. Available shortly on iTunes, "Run Mary" can be heard streaming right here and now...

Following a stellar summer tour full of great festivals and friends we are excited to hit the road again for the Slingshot On Mars Tour starting September 9th. Upcoming dates include stops in Knoxville and Memphis, TN, Terrapin Hill Farm in KY and the Orange Peel in Asheville, NC. Then we make first time stops at the Greenfield Lake Amphitheatre in Wilmington, NC and the Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville, VA before a weekend run through some of our favorite east coast stops including The Norva, Rams Head Live and 9:30 Club. Along the way we will celebrate our time in Baltimore and DC with a Cap Centre Weekend. On 9/17 and 9/18 DSO will choose from the legendary Grateful Dead Capital Centre shows and will recreate that show in its entirety. We will then round off our tour with a special acoustic set at Mexicali Live along with stops in Munhall, PA, Wilmington, DE, Philadelphia, Albany, Toads Place in New Haven, CT, Syracuse, Northampton and Lowell, MA before closing out the tour in the 'Big Apple' at the Nokia Theatre.

For the upcoming dates at Rams Head Live in Baltimore and 930 Club in DC we will be celebrating one of the legendary venues from the touring days of the Grateful Dead. On September 17th and 18th we will choose from the many great Capital Centre shows and will perform that show in its entirety. We hope you can join us in the fun!

Following an electric start to our Summer Tou we are excited to fire up the bus again to hit the road! This leg of the tour kicks off with another one of our favorite summer festivals, Gathering of the Vibes. We will headline Thursday night and get things started for what is certain to be a fantastic weekend of music with Furthur, Primus, The Rhythm Devils, Jimmy Cliff and many many more.

Click HERE for a special invite from GOTV...

From there it's on to the Saranac Brewery in Utica, Town Ballroom in Buffalo and Midland Theatre in Newark, OH. Then its southbound for a first time show at the Harris Riverfront Park in Huntington, WV before heading to the beach for stops in Dewey Beach DE and Atlantic City NJ finishing up the week in Englewood NJ at the Bergen PAC Theatre. Our final week of the tour starts with a show in Bethlehem at the Zoellner Arts Center before closing out the tour with stops in Rochester, NY, A Bears Picnic and the Lake Champlain Maritime Festival in Burlington, VT. We are ready for a big run through the northeast to round out our Rock My Soul Summer Tour.

With Summer half in the bag we are excited to announce new tour dates for the upcoming Fall season. We will start the tour with stops in Grand Rapids and Minneapolis, MN before hittin' up Fargo, ND and crossing the boarder into Wisconsin for a Saturday night stop in Madison at The Barrymore Theater. The next week kicks off in Grand Rapids MI to help you shake off the Mondays than its over to The Bluebird in Bloomington, IN to warm up for Halloween weekend at The Pageant in St Louis, the Madison Theater in Covington, KY and Halloween night at The Cannery Ballroom in Nashville, TN. More dates will be announced shortly. Stay tuned for updates!

Summer Tour is underway! Tonight we drop in to Otto's in Delkalb, IL before hitting Summerfest on 6/30. Gratefulfest will kick off with a Terrapin Nation Soundcheck Party on 7/1 before 3 big shows over 4th of July weekend with Keller Williams, New Riders, Peter Rowan, Emmit-Nershi and many more. A return to All Good kicks off the last weekend of this leg of the tour when we headline the Thursday Throwdown before closing out the weekend with stops in State College , PA and Tags Summerstage in Big Flats,NY.

Hope you can join in the fun as we kick off the Rock My Soul Summer Tour!

We have been lucky to have Courtenay Pollock design a new back drop for our Summer Tour. We will be hosting a silent auction for fans to place bids for a chance to win this beautiful work. A portion of the proceeds from the auction will benefit the Rex Foundation. Courtenay was the first person commissioned to do Tie Dye for the Grateful Dead (1970). Courtenay did all the amp covers, speaker covers, and backdrops for the Grateful Dead from 1970-1985. This is the first multi panel piece since the "Serpent" that was done for the Grateful Dead at the Greek Theater.

At a recent stop in Des Moines, IA the band dove into some old new territory by performing a Grateful Dead setlist from 11/7/69. This is the first time the band has dipped into the 60’s era and along with the recent plays covering Europe 72 shows and elective sets, you never know what you are going to get.

Check out the Tour Dates Page for upcoming dates where you can check it out for yourself.

After months of touring and playing with Jeff, we have decided to offer him the full time gig, which he has gratefully accepted. Jeff has blown us away with his energy, licks, and presence on stage. He is a great guy, an inspiring musician and so much fun to perform with, we cannot wait to get back out there and mix it up with him once again. We are having more fun than ever and are looking forward to seeing you all at the upcoming shows.

Gratefulfest 11 will kick off a day early this year with a very special Sound Check Party featuring a Terrapin Nation set by Dark Star Orchestra on Thursday, July 1st. Join us as we warm up the stage and get settled in for what looks to be another grand weekend at the Ledges.

Thank you to everyone who put on Mountain Jam last weekend. We had a blast with our late night set and were honored to be joined by festival host Warren Haynes and his Govt. Mule keyboard counterpart Danny Louis. The pair joined in for New Speedway Boogie>GDTRFD in the middle of our set which we capped off with Alligator>Drums>Space>The Eleven>Shakedown Street>Tangled Up In Blue. It was a great way to wrap up our Seeds of Light Tour.

A few weeks from now we will be back on the road for the ‘Rock My Soul Summer Tour’. Check out the Tour Dates Page for the schedule and complete details.

During our upcoming Seeds of Light Tour we will be hosting food drives at many venues along the way. Strangers Helping Strangers will be be collecting at the the shows on 5/22, 5/26, 5/27 and 6/2. On 6/4 Rock Can Roll will be on hand to take donations.

We ask that donations are unopened, professionally packaged and non-perishable. Healthy and nutritious (ie…low sodium, high fiber) foods are always appreciated.

Let the Brotherly love flow as the Seeds of Light Tour Kicks off at the Electric Factory in Philadelphia on May 20. From there it's off to Glen Allen, VA, Montclair, NJ and Ashburn, VA. After a couple days off cruising up I-95 its on to Providence, RI and Tarrytown, NY before a two night stand at the Hampton Beach Casino in NH followed by a stop at the Mighty High Mountain Fest in Tuxedo, NY with From Good Homes, NRPS and more... Rolling on from there its onward to Stamford, CT before stops in Brooklyn and Westbury, NY and a tour finale at Mountain Jam with Govt. Mule, Levon Helm & Friends, Allison Krauss and many many more!

Our friend Jeff Mattson will be joining us on lead guitar for this run and for the rest of the summer. We are happy to have him on board and cant wait to get the music rolling!

Dark Star is excited to return to NY again this summer for Mountain Jam 6. This year will feature a very special show celebrating the 70th birthday of legendary drummer Levon Helm. He will celebrate his 70th Birthday by closing Mountain Jam on Sunday, June 6th with a little help from a few well-known friends. The special Levon Helm & Friends set will feature Donald Fagen, Ray Lamontagne, Steve Earle, Patterson & David Hood & Jackie Greene plus many other performers already on the bill for the festival including host, Warren Haynes. Other acts on the lineup include: Gov't Mule (2 Nights), Alison Krauss and Union Station (featuring Jerry Douglas), Michael Franti & Spearhead, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Band, The Avett Brothers and many more!

Our recent tour with Jeff Mattson filling in on guitar has yielded a great amount of new releases for our DSO On Demand series. Many of these shows (2/3/10,2/4/10,2/5/10,2/8/10 and 2/10/10) are from the Dead's legendary Europe 72 shows and have never been performed by DSO. There are also 2 special shows with guests (2/6/10 w. Allie Kral of Cornmeal & Donna Jean and 2/20/10 w. Tom Constanten). Both shows allow the band to stretch their normal boundaries with some great friends joining in the fun.

Visit our DSO On Demand Page to check them out as some are available now and others will be live for download in the next few days. While your there check back into the archives for a hidden gem from DSO's past.

Our 'One Way Or Another Tour' will kick off next week at The BellyUp in Aspen, CO. Check out our Tour Dates Page for the full tour details.

As the band wraps up the last few dates of the Southbound Winter Tour a bunch of dates have been added to the upcoming tour schedule. For the ‘One Way Or Another’ spring tour we have added a stop in Olympia, WA on 4/18 at the Capitol Theater as well two California dates with shows in Modesto and Santa Ana on 4/25 and 4/29 respectively.

Plus a show has been added to the Seeds Of Light Tour. This will be the first DSO show at The Palace Theater in Stamford, CT. That show rounds out a tour that takes the band all over the east coast including a return to Mountain Jam as the tour closer....please check our Tour Dates Page for a complete calendar.

We are excited to be returning to the All Good Festival this year. This is one of our favorite festivals of the year and we are thrilled to be a part of their Thursday Throw Down on July 8th along with The New Deal, Fort Knox Five and more!

For the first time ever the All Good Festival will be offering a 4 Day Pass. In addition to three days of music in the main concert area, this will include admission to the Thursday Throw-down on the Grassroots stage July 8th with Dark Star Orchestra, The New Deal, Fort Knox Five and more, plus an extra night of camping. 4 Day Passes are available now and offer the best value saving you over $80 off the gate price.

DSO has embarked on their first tour of 2010. Starting out just a bit this side of The Great White North in Minneapolis, MN followed by a stop in Milwaukee and 2 nights at The Vic Theatre in Chi-Town. Next its a Midwest run with shows in Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri and Indianapolis before a weekend run of shows in Ohio with stops in Columbus and Cleveland. From there is on to (hopefully) warmer climates with shows in Covington, KY and Asheville, NC before a two nighter at the Neighborhood Theatre in Charlotte, NC. Heading farther south, the next run of shows hits Birmingham, AL and Oxford, MS followed by two nights at The Variety Playhouse in Atlanta. After the Hotlanta double dose its west Texas bound with stops in New Orleans, Houston and Dallas before wrapping up the tour in Austin.

Join Dark Star Orchestra and lend a hand to those in need by texting "Haiti" to 90999. You will receive a text that says "To confirm your $10 donation to Red Cross Haiti relief efforts reply with YES." After you do so, you're all good, it's just added to your phone bill.

As the winter ice begins to melt we will start our Spring Tour in April. Joining us on guitar and vocals for this tour will be Stu Allen of (JGB). With his eagerness to improvise and his commitment to making every performance unique, Stu has made extensive contributions to the jam music scene. In the early 1990's, he co-founded the Minnesota-based acoustic-electric jam band, Blue Man Jive. In addition, he is a founding member of The Jones Gang , Minneapolis' premier Grateful Dead tribute band. He can’t wait to get out on the road and play for you folks.

The tour will kick off with a run through the Colorado Rockies including stops in Aspen, Avon and 2 nights in Boulder at The Boulder Theater of all places! From there, it’s westward bound to Portland, Seattle and Reno before another 2 night stand, this time in San Francisco at The Regency Ballroom. After San Fran it’s on to LA for a show at the El Rey Theatre before closing out the tour in Solona Beach. Rocky Mountain High to California Sun. Hope to see you out there!

Visit our TOUR DATES PAGE for for tickets, more info and additional show announcements this coming week.

It seemed that everyone had a blast this year as we celebrated the New Year in Baltimore at Rams Head Live with 6 plus hours of music. The Bridge kicked off the night with a smokin’ set w Rob Koritz sitting in for most of the show. We then rolled into our 2nd ever Acoustic Set on the east coast: Deep Elem, Monkey, Cold Jordan, You Ain’t Woman Enough, Midnight Moonlight, Mountains of the Moon into Ripple. We took a short break and rocked right into our 1st Electric Set: Help>Slip>Franklin’s, Cassidy (w/Donna), Next Time You See Me, Cumberland, Midnight Hour – into the countdown and back to Midnight Hour>China>Rider. At midnight there was the thunder of confetti cannons, a shower of balloons and a return of Father Time as he welcomed in the New Year by shadowing the musicians and dancing his freaky timeless dance with Donna Jean. As the confetti settled and the balloons kept bouncing we went into our 3rd Set Scarlet (w/Donna)>William Tell>The Eleven>Fire(w/Both ladies)>Drumz>Sp...anish jam>Alligator>Blues for Allah>St Stephen>Viola Lee. Encores w/ both ladies...I’ll Be With Thee>Tangled Up in Blue. We hope that you all had as much fun as we did and we wish you all the happiest and healthiest of New Years.

Thank you for joining us and being a part of this continuing, long strange trip these past 12 years. Your support and excitement for the music has kept us going strong for over 1700 shows. Throughout the years, we've had transitions both difficult and uplifting, yet the positive energy of our fan base has continued to propel our mission onward for performing this important music and for keeping this vibrant scene alive.

That said, we, as a band are entering another chapter in this story.

Dark Star Orchestra's lead guitarist and one of its founding members, John Kadlecik, has decided to resign from DSO. John’s last show with us will be on Dec 5 in Buffalo. DSO is supportive of John’s choice and we wish him the very best.

Dark Star Orchestra will continue to bring you this music at its highest level. In our 12 year history we have gone through three drummers, three keyboard players, three bass players and numerous rhythm guitarists and we have always managed to keep improving the sound and the experience. We will be taking on a new player with his own talents and energy and turn yet another chapter in DSO history.

Veteran guitarist Jeff Mattson, formerly of the Zen Tricksters and currently w Donna Jean Godchaux Band, will be joining us this week, on the New Year's Run, Jam Cruise, and for our upcoming Winter Tour that begins in February. We assure you all the things you love about the Dark Star Orchestra experience will continue and we ask for your patience, friendship and positive energy as we keep truckin' on…

Yesterday marked the 12th anniversary of the dark and stormy night that began the long strange trip for Dark Star Orchestra. With the grate support of loyal Star Heads we have been able to keep on truckin along. Over the years we been fortunate to tour the world while continuing the concert experience of the Grateful Dead. It has been a pleasure to share their music with everyone along the way and we look forward to many more years...

So many roads I tell you, so many roads I know
Mountain high, river wide, so many roads to ride
New York to San Francisco, so many roads I know
From the high road to the low, so many roads I know
Along those roads of gold and silver snow
So many roads to ease my soul
- Robert Hunter

Our Rex Caravan Tour was a great success. We raised nearly $15,000 in support of The Rex Foundation. Thanks to the support of our fantastic fans and venues from The Great Northwest to the Rocky Mountains. We know these gracious contributions come at a difficult time for many people and we truly appreciate everyone helping us to continue the Grateful Dead’s legacy of giving. The Rex Foundation helps to support many great causes and we encourage you to visit The Rex Foundation Website to learn more about how you can help year round.

Our NYE party just keeps on growing! First we announced that Jeff Mattson would be joining us on guitar as a special guest. Now we are adding Donna Jean into the mix. Plus Baltimore's own, The Bridge, will kick off the evening. And that's not all! As we announced previously, DSO will be playing a three set show which will include a Rare Acoustic Set. All in the friendly confines of Rams Head Live in Baltimore, MD.

Early Bird Tickets for NYE are almost sold out. Click HERE to get your tickets now and save $36 off the door price.

Tickets will include a champagne toast, finger foods, and party favors. Get your early bird tickets while supplies last.

Kick up your NYE experience a few notches with a VIP Ticket which includes: special merch, champagne toast, finger foods, party favors, an exclusive viewing area and more! VIP Tickets available while supplies last.

To top it all off we have a great hotel deal only a few blocks from the venue. Click HERE to check it out.

DSO is heading east this fall for a great run of shows all over the eastern sea board. The tour kicks off in Albany, NY stops in Philly and York, PA before we celebrate DSO's 12th Anniversary on 11/11 in Hagerstown, MD. Next up is a stop in the Steel city before a 2 night stand in DC at the 930 club. While in DC we will be collecting food as part of the Walther Productions Fall Food Drive. From there the bus is northbound with stops all over NY, with shows in NJ, MA along the way. Thanksgiving eve brings us back to Penn's Peak with 2 shows at the Nokia Theatre in New York City Thanksgiving weekend. The tour closes out with a stop in NH, 2 nights at Higher Ground and shows in Rochester and Buffalo, NY. Check out the Tour Dates Page for more info.

We would like to let you know that Jeff Mattson of the Donna Jean Godchaux Band will also join us on lead guitar for the NYE run from Norfolk, to Richmond and into Baltimore for 2 nights. We are looking forward to mixing it up with Jeff and blowing it out for New Years. Out of respect for Furthur, we were waiting for them to announce their plans for New Years first so that we could then relay this information to all of you. We're wrapping up our tour in CO this weekend and are looking forward to seeing you all in the east starting on Nov. 6th in Albany.

We are excited to announce that we will be ringing in 2010 with a 3 set show which will include a Rare Acoustic Set. This will be the first east coast acoustic set in many years. Combine that with the Cosmic NYE energy and the possibilities are endless...

As previously announced, we will celebrate the new year with the Return of the Cosmic New Year at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore, MD. Early Bird tickets are on-sale now for $36 below the door price. Tickets include a champagne toast, finger foods, and party favors.

Heighten your NYE experience with a VIP Ticket which includes everything above plus expanded food options, an exclusive viewing area and special merchandise.

A group rate hotel deal is available a few blocks from the venue. Click HERE for details.

We are excited to announce that veteran guitarist and member of the Donna Jean Godchaux Band, Jeff Mattson, will be performing with DSO for a limited number of special engagements this fall. Jeff will join us for 11/16 Princeton, NJ, 11/18 Ithaca, NY, 11/19 Bridgeport, CT, 11/20 Northampton, MA, 11/21 Lowell, MA. John Kadlecik will return to the stage with DSO for the final shows of the Fall Tour starting with Syracuse on 11/24.

It’s that time of year again! DSO has locked in their NYE plans and hope you can come along for the ride. This year’s New Years run will kick off on 12/28 at The Norva in Norfolk followed by a show on 12/29 at The National in Richmond leading to a 2-Night stand in Baltimore, MD at Rams Head Live! Our 12/30 and 12/31 shows will be presented by Walther Productions who brings you the All Good Music Festival. Judging from last years shenanigans (A 12/31/78 recreation complete with Father Time flying in the New Year on a 5...no 7 foot joint!) all bets are off this year. Come join us for the celebration!

All tickets will include a champagne toast, finger foods, and party favors.

A Limited quantity of Early Bird tickets are on-sale … Buy Now and save $36 off the door price.

Kick up your NYE experience a few notches with a VIP Ticket. which includes: special merch, champagne toast, finger foods, party favors, an exclusive viewing area and more! VIP Tickets. available while supplies last.

A special Hotel Deal Sheraton Baltimore City Center Hotel which is within walking distance Rams Head Live! The special price of $99/night(plus tax) will be available for 12/30-1/2 so you can settle in for a cosmic weekend.

To close out our Fall Tour 09, we have added the Lebanon Opera House in Lebanon, NH on 11/29, the Harro East in Rochester N.Y on 12/4, and Town Ballroom in Buffalo on 12/5. We are looking forward to heading east once again, but for now we are westward bound.

This past weekend's shows of Furthur, the new band with Dark Star Orchestra's own John Kadlecik joining Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Joe Russo, Jay Lane and Jeff Chimenti, debuted with three sold out nights in Oakland. Furthur jammed masterfully over six sets, offering unique takes on our favorite and familiar tunes including St. Stephen > Eleven > Terrapin > Not Fade Away.

The show originally scheduled for November 30 has been moved to December 2. All November 30 tickets will be honored at the December 2 show. If you're a November 30 ticket holder and unable to make the December 2 makeup date, then please contact the Higher Ground box office asap and they'll accommodate as needed.

Looking for a new fix of DSO? Head over to the Dark Star Orchestra Live Download page to stream samples of, then download, some high quality shows from the April West Coast spring tour including shows in San Francisco, Seattle, Anaheim, and Eureka. Tasty musical treats in three formats: MP3, FLAC and CD.

After some mountain air and pacific sun on the Rex Caravan Tour the band will take a few weeks off before returning to East Coast for an extensive tour. We are excited to revisit some of our favorite east coast haunts this fall. Check out DSO at the tour kick-off at the Palace Theatre in Albany, feel the brotherly love in Philly, celebrate DSO's 12th Anniversary in Hagerstown, wave that flag in DC, return to the scene of the crime in Ithaca or hit the big apple for two nights at the Nokia Theatre. The bus will be laying rubber all over the east coast and we hope you can come along for the ride!

John Kadlecik, our lead guitarist and founding member of DS0, has been invited to join Furthur for a few dates in September. John has graciously accepted this invitation and is honored and thrilled to perform with Phil Lesh, Bob Weir and others. We wish him the best of luck with this project and cannot wait to see and hear John play with our heroes...for Furthur info click HERE

This weekend Dark Star Orchestra hops back on the road for a brief week plus tour in the mountain states of Colorado, Idaho and Montana. Some really special events on this short tour including 3 shows in Denver at Dancin' in the Streets, an extremely rare all-acoustic show at the Strings Music Festival in Steamboat Springs on Monday, another rare appearance in Idaho with our friend Keller Williams, then the band's first performance in Bozeman, MT since 2005, and finally topping the whole week off with a pair of festival shows at the Lolo Hot Springs in Lolo, MT.

Visit the tourdates page to see which shows you might be able to catch this weekend and next week.

This fall DSO will hit the road on another Rex Caravan Tour where $1 for very ticket sold will be donated to The Rex Foundation that was created by the Grateful Dead in 1984 as an outlet for their charitable donations. The tour begins in the Great Northwest with a show in Seattle before a two night stand in Portland, OR.

The 8th Black Tie-Dye Ball will be held Friday, September 25 in Portland, OR at the Crystal Ballroom. Proceeds help support local area non - profit programs. The September 25th Black Tie - Dye Ball also helps celebrate the 3rd month - long DSO Rex Caravan Tour, where every show along the way includes $1 per ticket as a contribution to the Rex Foundation.

The Rex Foundation presented the first Black Tie - Dye Ball in Chicago in March 2004 with Dark Star Orchestra. Since then, there have been Black Tie - Dye Balls in New York City, Washington, D.C., Denver, Colorado, Los Angeles and San Francisco. These festive occasions provide the opportunity to collaborate with gifted performers that care about the Rex Foundation.

DSO's summer tour has been making the rounds to festivals across this fine land, from the 10th anniversary of GratefulFest at Nelson Ledges, to last weekend's All Good Festival and next weekend's Gathering of the Vibes. To revisit the festival vibe, check out this brief video clip from the band's festival closing slot at All Good.

Unfortunately our Celebrate Virginia show in Fredericksburg, VA has been postponed due to many days of continual rain. We have rescheduled for July 7th. All tickets will be honored for our make-up date and if you cannot make it, you may get your tickets refunded at point of purchase. Sorry for the inconvenience, you may thank good ole Mother Nature.

Tune in to iClips on Friday May 22nd from 4:00-5:15 Central Time for to check out a rare acoustic set by DSO. The band will be performing live at Summer Camp and the next best thing to being there is catching it online. Click HERE to check it out.

Summer Camp kicks off the Spring East Tour for DSO, visit our Tour Dates Page for the full calendar. Hope to see you on the road!

As the Spring Tour East gets in to high gear we are excited to release some great archival recordings from 2007 and 2008. The new releases include two Early 70's recreations on 5/29/08 at North Fork Theater in Westbury, NY and 6/06/08 Hampton Beach Casino in Hampton Beach, NH plus a DSO original set list regarded as a ‘fan favorite’ from Rams Head Live in Baltimore MD. Click HERE to check out the catalog and get your copy of one of these fine shows.

DSO is excited to join an amazing line-up of performers for Jam Cruise 8 sailing from Ft Lauderdale to Ocho Rios, Jamaica & George Town, Cayman Islands. We will be sharing the ship with: STS9, The Word, Zappa plays Zappa, Galactic, Karl Denson's Tiny Universe, Maceo Parker, JJ Grey & Mofro, Railroad Earth, Steve Kimock's Crazy Engine and many many more. This is our second time on Jam Cruise and we are thrilled to be back on board!

Public on-sale for cabins is Thursday June 4 at 12:00pm ET. Hope you can join us!

The Gathering of the Vibes has been a staple of DSO's summer festival circuit for years. Tonight at 8 PM EST, GOTV is hosting weekly Thursday night Vibes broadcasts where they're bring the community together online to feature set footage from years past. Tonight they're announcing the final main stage line-up for Vibes '09. Its going to be a BIG announcement for fans. Immediately following the release of the line-up will be the Masters of Bluegrass set from Vibes 2004.

Dark Star Orchestra is delighted to announce a three show run with our talented friend Keller Williams. We will be playing Artpark in Lewiston, NY, Saranac Brewery in Utica, NY and Vasa Park in Hackettstown, NJ...check out our tour dates page for more info. Keller will kick off the show doing his solo looping freek show and DSO will be playing an extended set to close each night. These will be the first shows with this pairing and great fun for all.

After last years rockin’ Late night Set DSO is excited to return to Marvin’s Mountaintop for the 13th Annual All Good Music Festival. Join us on the mountain along with: Bob Weir & RatDog, Ben Harper and RELENTLESS7, moe., Umphrey’s Mcgee, STS9, Les Claypool, Yonder Mountain String Band, Tea Leaf Green and many many more great artists. Visit the All Good Music Festival Homepage for more info. Hope to see you there!

Dark Star Orchestra is excited to be back in Northern Ohio for GratefulFest's 10-year anniversary July 2 - 6! In addition to three unforgettable nights of recreating the Grateful Dead with us, this year's festival features Keller Williams, Steve Kimock Crazy Engine, New Riders of the Purple Sage, The Donna Jean Godchaux Band with Jeff Mattson, Jememiah Puddleduck, BoomBox, David Gans and many more to be announced soon! A limited amount of tickets are available now through DSO Fan Club Ticketing and are only $95. Join us for this very special weekend!

Dark Star Orchestra has confirmed its first appearance at DelFest, at the Allegany County Fairgrounds in Cumberland, MD May 22-24. In the spirit of the roots-themed event, DSO will perform one extended show including an acoustic set morphing into an electric set. DelFest also features 3 nights of Del McCoury Band, as well as Leftover Salmon, Sam Bush, Railroad Earth, Old Crow Medicine Show, Ollabelle Tim O’Brien and many more. More information can be found at DelFest.com.

Dark Star Orchestra is pleased to announce the launch of a new live download site with nugs.net. Our first releases are culled from the Rex Caravan tour and were recorded live by our monitor engineer Mike Tomascovic and mastered by Rob Eaton. In the coming months we will continue to add new shows to the site from future tour dates as well as digging into our vault for gems from tours gone by.

Dark Star Orchestra has announced the addition of a 5th Florida tour stop on the Winter Tour at Tallahassee's Engine Room Monday, February 2. Spread the word to any Deadheads in the area for this newly confirmed show. Visit the Tour Dates Page for the full list of shows.

Dark Star Orchestra rang in 2009 in ‘Cosmic’ fashion recreating the show from the closing of Winterland in 1978. In addition to performing the complete original set-list the band was joined on stage by the extended DSO family for ‘Drums’ and a special guest Chris Colvin on harmonica for ”I Need A Miracle”, “Not Fade Away” and “Around & Around”. The recreation was complete with Father Time flying over and onto the stage at the
stroke of midnight on a 7 foot joint. As he landed balloons dropped and 2009 was born with DSO launching
into an epic “Dark Star” to start the third set.

Everyone here on ‘Team Dark Star’ would like to take this opportunity to thank all the fans out there for their continuing support that has kept DSO on the road for the last 11 years with many more to come!

All tickets are now sold-out for our Cosmic New Year's Eve performance at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore.

Hotel rooms are still available, click HERE to book a hotel room at our discounted rate.

As previously announced, the band will perform a hand picked show from one of the many Grateful Dead New Year's Eve concerts as part of their 3 set performance. Just as with most of their shows, DSO will combine their personal expression and improvisation with the original show's set list, arrangements, equipment and stage set-up. Be there as Dark Star Orchestra transforms Ram's Head Live! into the Oakland Coliseum, Winterland, Cow Palace or another venue from one of the Dead's historic NYE shows.

All tickets include a champagne toast at midnight, party favors, and finger foods served from 7:30 - 9:30 pm.

We are pleased to announce the details for the third night of our Cosmic New Years Run. Our December 30th show will take place at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair, NJ starting at 7:00. Visit our Tour Dates page for more info.

In addition to raising money for The Grateful Dead founded Rex Foundation, saturday night at Nokia Theater will be special with the addition of Special Guest Donna Jean Godchaux MacKay to the evenings festivities. As previously announced, the Ball features a reception with the band, silent auction and grateful sets.

Order your tickets to the show and pre-show reception online at the Rex Foundation's website or by phone at 415-561-3135.

We are pleased to offer our fans the opportunity to purchase a limited number of Cosmic New Years eve tickets at a reduced price during the extended Thanksgiving weekend. Tickets are available now from Dark Star Orchestra's Fan Club Ticketing. Don't miss this chance to save over $30 off the door price and join DSO as they 'Recreate A Grateful Dead Set List From A New Years Past'.

Dance your way into 2009 with Dark Star Orchestra as they recreate a Grateful Dead Set list from a New Year's past Wednesday, December 31 at the Ram's Head Live in Baltimore, MD. The band will perform a hand picked show from one of the many Grateful Dead New Year's Eve concerts as part of their 3 set performance. As with most of their shows, DSO will combine their personal expression and improvisation with the original show's set list, arrangements, equipment and stage set-up. Be there as Dark Star Orchestra transforms Ram's Head Live! into the Oakland Coliseum, Winterland, Cow Palace or another venue from one of the Dead's historic NYE shows. You definitely do not want to miss this show.

All TICKETS include a champagne toast, party favors and finger foods. Click HERE to book a hotel room at a discounted rate.

DSO's 22-date, East-Coast, Rex Caravan tour begins tonight, the first of a two-night stand, at the 9:30 Club in Washington, DC with special guests Hot Buttered Rum. Dark Star is also thrilled to welcome Dan Healy, legendary Grateful Dead sound engineer of nearly 30 years, to mix the sound for the band for another tour. Additionally, for every ticket sold on this tour, DSO will contribute $1 to the Rex Foundation.

Stay up to date with the latest DSO setlists, news updates, and more by signing up for DSO Twitter updates to your cell phone or email.

Dark Star Orchestra is glad to celebrate the Rex Foundation's 25th anniversary in 2008 through Black Tie Dye Ball which is a great way to further a tradition of grassroots giving and demonstrate the power of community, service and the arts. The show Nov. 29 in NYC at the Nokia will send its proceeds to help support the Rex Foundation mission of funding grassroots programs. Black Tie Dye Ball tickets include a pre-show reception with the artists, food, silent auction, special seating and more are available at the Rex Foundation website.

Dark Star Orchestra expresses its sadness and shares condolences with the family of Merl Saunders, legendary keyboardist, musical innovator, and member of the Grateful Dead's extended family (Legion of Mary, Jerry Garcia Band, etc) who passed away this morning from complications from his stroke in 2002. Our thoughts and hearts go out to those who knew Merl personally and we collectively appreciate his spirit and the music he shared with us for decades. Anyone wishing to express their personal thoughts can leave a message on his website.

We are all looking forward to our special Halloween show next week at the Pageant in St Louis. We encourage everyone to dress up for the occasion and to participate in our Costume Contest. To participate, please register at our merchandise table prior to the show with our lovely merchandiser, Sarah….We will announce the finalists at the end of the first set and will announce the winner at set break. The Grand Prize will be 4 tickets to a DSO show of you choice plus a merchandise package.

Our apologies for any confusion, the show on November 18th will be held at The State Theater of Ithaca. We are very pleased to return to Ithaca where they declared it "Grateful Dead Day" on May 8, 2007 in celebration of The Dead's Barton Hall 1977 show. Hope to see you there!

A soundboard recording of DSO's first performance at Bonnaroo 2008 is now available on iTunes via the festival's 'Live Bonnaroo' release. Nearly a dozen other groups' Bonnaroo recordings are included at iTunes.

Sound engineer extraordinaire, Dan Healy, who for three decades mixed the sound for the Grateful Dead has been on tour with DSO since the beginning of the Fall Tour, as well as earlier in 2008. DSO is thoroughly enjoying the time having Dan on the road with them and having his masterful audio artwork make its way to your ears. Dan was one of the architects of the Dead's legendary 'Wall of Sound' that created the epic shows from 1973 and 1974.

Interested fans may also want to check out this great feature article that details a 'Day in the Life' of Dark Star Orchestra on the road, for which Dan Healy is included.

This year we will celebrate New Year's Eve with a special show at Rams Head Live! in Baltimore, MD, presented by Walther Productions, the company that brings you the All Good Music Festival. Tickets will include a champagne toast, finger foods, and party favors. A limited quantity of tickets is now available at the Early Bird Price. Buy Now and save $30 off the door price.

Enjoy NYE in style with a VIP ticket offering VIP merch, champagne toast, finger foods, party favors, an exclusive viewing area and more. VIP Tickets available while supplies last.

NYE Hotel Deal Available Here

Make a road trip of it and join us for the last 4 shows of the year; Richmond's National (12/28), Norfolk's NorVa (12/29), location TBA 12/30, Baltimore's Rams Head Live! (12/31).

Fans of the Grateful Dead, Dark Star Orchestra and rock collectors will vie for desirable memorabilia at auction Bonhams & Butterfields on October 5, 2008 in San Francisco, during “More Skeletons from the Closet,” the firm’s second auction devoted to the iconic and beloved San Francisco rock band. The Grateful Dead-inspired auction will feature gold records awarded, tour and studio instruments, the band’s “ride”-- a ’56 Chevy that transported Dead band mates and Bay Area VIPs, unique treasures that traveled with the band, and scarce concert posters. Property stems from the Estate of Vince Welnick, former Dead keyboardist; from the collection of Rock Scully, decades-long band manager; "Pig Pen," John Kahn and from other notable “Dead Heads” intimate with the band’s legacy.

The October 2-4 preview and October 5 auction are scheduled to coincide with Dark Star Orchestra's three highly anticipated shows at San Francisco’s infamous Fillmore Auditorium. The previews are free and open to the public, continuing until the auction stages on Sunday. For information and directions, visit Bonhams & Butterfields on the web at http://www.bonhams.com/us for further information.

We want to thank all of you who made it out and were a part of another wonderful weekend of Gratefulfest out at Nelson's Ledges. Evan certainly knows how to throw a party and 4,500 fans congregated in the sunny weather and quarry magic proved it. Dan Healy naturally killed it on the mixing board using the Meyer line-array rig that he practically invented. We were honored to have our friends Donna-Jean and Keller Williams sit in and mix it up with us. The fest was graced with stellar up and coming bands to watch out for such as: The Bridge, Boombox, Cornmeal, Donna-Jean and the Tricksters, and New Mastersounds - plus it was seasoned with some legendary greats such as Peter Rowan & Tony Rice, Ramblin Jack, Wavy Gravy and David Gans. Wow, what a fantastic weekend…thanks again for coming out and sharing it with us.

We are delighted to announce that Dan Healy will join us behind the soundboard for all three nights at GratefulFest 9, happening at Nelson Ledges Quarry Park this Labor Day Weekend (August 29 - Sept. 1). DSO returns for 3 days and nights of fun, sun and great tunes. Along with three full DSO shows, there will be performances from: Keller Williams, The New Mastersounds, Peter Rowan & Tony Rice Quartet & Garaj Mahal, Ramblin' Jack Elliott, The Bridge, Cornmeal, Mr. David Gans, Roots-A-Risin, The Max Allen Band, Sanduleak, Boombox, Donna & The Tricksters, Mr. Blotto, Big Leg Emma, The Chef Dave Band, Red Hot Trio and Late Night Allstar jams!

Dark Star Orchestra is excited to be hosting yet another Black Tie Dye Ball Saturday, September 27 at the Henry Fonda Theater in Los Angeles to benefit the Rex Foundation. Be sure to get your tickets early and don't miss out on the pre-show reception which includes meet and greet with DSO, silent auction, food, drinks and goodie bags. All ticket sales benefit the Rex Foundation, founded by the Grateful Dead 25 years ago to proactively provide extensive community support to creative endeavors in the arts, sciences, and education. Your ticket and reception purchases help continue this long-running support network.

DSO began a month-long tour crisscrossing the Eastern half of the US July 10 at Penn's Peak before performing an amazing late-night show at the All Good Festival last weekend. A rare acoustic show at the Kent Stage last week was another tour highlight. The All Good Festival included a rare Drum Workshop/Clinic with DSO drummers Dino English & Rob Koritz that allowed for cooperative drumming and interaction.

DSO's tour continues this week to a headlining slot at the 10,000 Lakes Festival in Northern Minnesota before holding court with a two-night stand at the Park West in Chicago. DSO then rapidly makes their way to the East Coast for a series of dates including the Gathering of the Vibes and The Mighty High Festival.

The end of the last tour brought DSO to Bonnaroo and were greeted by thousands of fans under 'The Other Tent' for their Late Night slot on Thursday night. Highlights include a highly energetic and crowd-participated Tennessee Jed, and a mega-sandwich to end the show: I Need a Miracle> Shakedown St> Drums> Space> Alligator> Attics of My Life> Not Fade Away (reprise). DSO rocked Bonnaroo's Sonic Stage on Friday afternoon for a Jerry Garcia Band-themed set to end the Road to the Roo Tour.

A newly nationally-released book, called Like A Rolling Stone, has just been released and includes an entire chapter on the Dark Star Orchestra. Like A Rolling Stone is a superbly reported, affectionately told, hilarious account of life of a variety of tribute bands.

DSO rolled into Ithaca, NY on May 8, 2007 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of 5/8/77, recreating one of the most legendary Grateful Dead shows of all time. The spirited show was caught on video by iClips.net and the multi-camera shot DVD was mastered by Rob Eaton is being released on the anniversary of this show. The DVD is now available as well as the 3 CD set of the same show.

I’ve spent most of my life in the music business one way or another wearing several “jackets”. Mostly, I’m known for mixing live sound although I have spent more or less an equal amount of time in the recording studio producing and engineering as well as having been in several bands and toured playing music....Read Dan's entire post!

DSO will perform at the 11th Annual All Good Festival at Marvin's Mountaintop in Masontown, West Virginia July 11 - 13. Other performers include Phil Lesh & Friends, Widespread Panic, Gov't Mule, Mike Gordon, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Soul Stew Revival, Michael Franti & Spearhead and dozens of additional bands with no overlapping sets. Discounted advanced tickets are available now from the All Good Festival website where DSO fans will save considerably off the gate price and $.50 from every ticket sold to support HeadCount's "Cents for Sense" campaign to register voters.

DSO will perform at two more summer festivals, the 10,000 Lakes Festival in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota July 23 - 26 and the Gathering of the Vibes July 31 - Aug 3. Tickets for both events are available now from their respective websites. The festival banners to the left provide detail of other performers on the lineup and the 10KLF banner has information on how to receive a discounted ticket by being a DSO fan.

On Saturday Dark Star Orchestra headlined Atlanta’s Variety Playhouse. During their performance, DSO invited out legendary soul keyboardist, and Atlanta-transplant, Ike Stubblefield, who has worked with such luminaries as Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Marvin Gaye, Ike & Tina Turner, Curtis Mayfield, Eric Clapton and Rod Stewart, for versions of “King Bee” and “That’s What Love Will Make You Do.”

Grateful Dead sound engineer Dan Healy will be joining Dark Star Orchestra to mix the band’s sound beginning Friday, February 16 at DSO’s House of Blues Cleveland performance through the final tour stop in Langerado. Dan Healy mixed the Grateful Dead from 1968 through 1994 and has done sound for DSO on previous occasions, notably in October 2007 when Bob Weir joined DSO for a few sets at The Fillmore. Veteran DSO sound engineer Cameron Blietz needs to leave the road to heal chronic back pain, but will return to the mixing board for future tours.

DSO supporters and Deadheads are encouraged to leave ‘well-wishes’ for Cameron’s rapid return to full health by leaving a comment for him at DSO’s MySpace page: www.myspace.com/darkstarorchestra

Dark Star Orchestra has been confirmed as part of the initial lineup for the 2008 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival. The 7th annual four-day camping and music festival will be held on June 12-15 on the same 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, 60 miles south of Nashville. The final Bonnaroo 2008 lineup will total over 100 bands and over 20 comedians performing on 13 stages over four days.

Hot on the heels of the '10th Anniversary Tour', Dark Star Orchestra will perform their 1,500th show on this tour, in their hometown of Chicago on February 2. Tickets are now available for the spring tour through DSO Ticketing- it's the online home of our fan club ticketing where you get DSO tickets with lower service fees and each ticket you purchase actually plants a tree! So be sure to secure your chance to see the band as they celebrate another milestone of their career!

Unbroken Chain was off the hook! Last week’s Grateful Dead symposium, Unbroken Chain: The Grateful Dead & American Culture saw thoughtful presentations from a number of the nation’s leading Grateful Dead scholars. Some highlights included Dan Healy’s conversations and witty remarks about the Wall of Sound and the birth of the “Taper Section”, Dennis McNally’s ever insightful interpretation of life on the road, and Bill Walton’s incredibly entertaining story about the time that he introduced the rest of the Boston Celtics to the Grateful Dead experience at The Boston Garden. The weekend closed appropriately with an unforgettable performance from DSO as they recreated the epic show from January 22, 1978 which featured Mountain Girl’s spoken word, Uncle Sam and various dancers and a fascinating video show put on by Peak Experience which allowed the audience to see the music.

Dark Star Orchestra is thrilled to be a part of the 6th annual Langerado Music Festival held March 6 - 9 at the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation in South Florida. DSO will perform Thursday, March 6 at this festival which features dozens of bands over the course of the weekend. Tickets and more Langerado information are available at www.langerado.com.

DSO is partnering with Strangers Helping Strangers to collect canned goods at upcoming shows to help those in need. SHS will be collecting non-perishable foods, toiletries, baby food/formula & diapers and feminine hygiene products. SHS will be giving away live and studio CD's to everyone who donates as well as prizes for the largest donations each night. Anyone who donates 25 or more items will receive a special limited edition poster by the artist Chach while they last.

Strangers Helping Strangers will be collecting food at this last remaining show:
12/06 New Haven, CT

Tallying the donation from funds raised on the recent 'DSO Rex Caravan Tour' with $1 from each ticket sold on the tour combined with the funds raised at the 'Black Tie Dye Ball' benefit at The Fillmore in San Francisco on October 4, DSO raised over $22,000 to the Rex Foundation! More information on the Rex Foundation's Conscious Caravan can be found at www.rexfoundation.org.

Scholars, fans, artists, performers and members of the extended Grateful Dead family will gather at the University of Massachusetts Amherst November 16 - 18 for the first major university conference on the enduring legacy of the Dead experience. Secure your tickets now to DSO's show at this rare event!

This symposium brings together more than 50 presenters for 20 panel sessions ranging from music composition and improvisation to an examination of the band's business model as well as a musical performances, gallery exhibits, and presentations.

Among the Unbroken Chain panelists are "Mountain Girl"? Carolyn Garcia, 2nd wife of guitarist Jerry Garcia and a central figure among the Merry Pranksters who populated the early Grateful Dead scene; David Gans, host of the Grateful Dead Radio Hour for the past 22 years; Grateful Dead midi wizard Bob Bralove; and Dan Healy, who designed and built the Wall of Sound, famed enabler of the Dead's improvisational style.

All New Year's Run show tickets are on sale now via DSO Tickets & each venue's website so be sure to make your travel arrangements early for yet another great ringing in of the New Year. See you there!

On what was officially proclaimed "Grateful Dead Day" by the Mayor of Ithaca, DSO had the honor of recreating the infamous Cornell 5/8/77 show in Ithaca, NY on its 30th Anniversary. The entire show - recorded to three CDs - are now available exclusively at DSO's live shows at the merch booth. The CDs are high quality soundboard recordings taken from the master two track tapes, mixed by monitor engineer Sco, and mastered by Rob Eaton.

CBS newsman (and Deadhead) Frank Kracher featured DSO's historic 5/8/77 recreation for "Grateful Dead Day" during the 5 PM and 11 PM news broadcasts on WTVH in Syracuse which can be seen here. Thank you Frank!

On a chilly November night in Chicago some ten years ago, Dark Star Orchestra was born. Having been conceived only weeks earlier in a series of phone calls, meetings and rehearsals, the whole thing was an experimental lark for the musicians involved. They all had their own bands and day jobs. No one was anticipating a decade long commitment which would entail criss-crossing the country with an ever expanding family of friends and fans. No one could have imagined playing a Rex foundation benefit (an anachronism itself at the time,) much less having Rex board of director Bob Weir alongside them on stage (Thanks again, Bobby!). No, back then DSO was just a side project, an entertaining diversion, a pony ride.

As it turned out, the beast had legs, lurched out of the gate and took off on a long run. Ten years later it still shows no sign of slowing down even after some heartbreaking stumbles. Join us on The Tenth Anniversary Tour starting November 8th on the East coast. On November 11th we will celebrate the actual anniversary at Higher Ground in Burlington, Vermont and on November 17th we take part in the Public Symposium on Grateful Dead music, culture and memory at UMASS in Amhurst. Thanksgiving weekend will be celebrated in New York City once again and The Bridge opens the shows at 9:30 Club in Washington DC and the NorVA in Norfolk plus plenty of shows up and down the seaboard. Come on out and celebrate!
THANKS FOR TEN FANTASTIC YEARS!!!